2019 Trek Checkpoint ALR4 vs CAADX 105SE

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mattharrop
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:57 am

by mattharrop

Hi all,

I’m based in London and looking to pick up a 2019 clearance bike for gravel, road training in winter and perhaps some CX. I’ve narrowed it down to those two which are both going for sharp deals.

The Checkpoint’s downside for me is the 10-speed Tiagra, including the RS505 hoods, whereas the CAADX has new 105 but only has Spyre cable brakes. That said, the CAADX is now pretty long in the tooth - the Checkpoint feels more modern in its thru axle and hydro setup.

This will go with my Supersix Evo Hi Mod so I’m ideally after something that feels racy and can handle road training intervals on my commute - which attracted me to the Checkpoint geo and gearing.

The CAADX is about £250 cheaper, which is not insignificant.

Any thoughts or comments?

Cheers
Matt

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ALAN Carbon+
Posts: 294
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:21 am
Location: Canberra, Australia

by ALAN Carbon+

I'd also check out the Cannondale Topstone, a quick check on a few UK based websites had it similarly priced to the checkpoint, but with full 105 hydro.

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mattharrop
Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:57 am

by mattharrop

Went with the Checkpoint ALR4. Rode both, the Trek just feels like a more modern package, better tyre clearance, and wasn't happy with the spongy feel of the TRP Spyres on the CAADX.

jfranci3
Posts: 1572
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 5:21 pm

by jfranci3

I’d only consider 10/11sp an issue you’re going 1x. There’s not much benefit with 11sp over 10sp. The Sypre brakes are fine. DT Swiss makes a thru bolt for QR bikes. Buy the prettier bike

NordicSal
Posts: 279
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:09 pm

by NordicSal

jfranci3 wrote:
Sun Jul 21, 2019 9:38 pm
I’d only consider 10/11sp an issue you’re going 1x. There’s not much benefit with 11sp over 10sp. The Sypre brakes are fine. DT Swiss makes a thru bolt for QR bikes. Buy the prettier bike
Would that make a CAAD12 Disc feel like a thru-axle set up or how does it work?

jfranci3
Posts: 1572
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 5:21 pm

by jfranci3

NordicSal wrote:
Mon Jul 22, 2019 3:19 pm
jfranci3 wrote:
Sun Jul 21, 2019 9:38 pm
I’d only consider 10/11sp an issue you’re going 1x. There’s not much benefit with 11sp over 10sp. The Sypre brakes are fine. DT Swiss makes a thru bolt for QR bikes. Buy the prettier bike
Would that make a CAAD12 Disc feel like a thru-axle set up or how does it work?

I can’t find clear specs on the CAADX SE, but it may have a TA front and QR rear.

In any case, you need the wheel end caps (9mm front and 10mm rear). With QR, the end cap on the hub fits into the dropouts on the fork, not the skewer. The skewer is 5mm and it runs through a hole in a 9/10mm nipple. With a thru bolt, the dropout is still a QR, but the bolt goes into the dropout, not the end cap nipple, there’s no nipple, so you put a 9mm bolt into the QR fork and there’s a nut on the other end of the bolt rather than screwing into the fork.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/files/2008/10/e ... ropout.jpg

Does it feel the same? Yes. I had a QR CX/gravel bike. I only noticed the difference when braking hard on dirt where you’d have more traction than asphalt. I’d get a bit of shimmy that went away. If I did it again, I’d only bother with the front. The downside, aside front cost, is it takes a few extra seconds to attach/remove the wheel over QR or TA.

NordicSal
Posts: 279
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:09 pm

by NordicSal

jfranci3 wrote:
Mon Jul 22, 2019 4:54 pm
NordicSal wrote:
Mon Jul 22, 2019 3:19 pm
jfranci3 wrote:
Sun Jul 21, 2019 9:38 pm
I’d only consider 10/11sp an issue you’re going 1x. There’s not much benefit with 11sp over 10sp. The Sypre brakes are fine. DT Swiss makes a thru bolt for QR bikes. Buy the prettier bike
Would that make a CAAD12 Disc feel like a thru-axle set up or how does it work?

I can’t find clear specs on the CAADX SE, but it may have a TA front and QR rear.

In any case, you need the wheel end caps (9mm front and 10mm rear). With QR, the end cap on the hub fits into the dropouts on the fork, not the skewer. The skewer is 5mm and it runs through a hole in a 9/10mm nipple. With a thru bolt, the dropout is still a QR, but the bolt goes into the dropout, not the end cap nipple, there’s no nipple, so you put a 9mm bolt into the QR fork and there’s a nut on the other end of the bolt rather than screwing into the fork.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/files/2008/10/e ... ropout.jpg

Does it feel the same? Yes. I had a QR CX/gravel bike. I only noticed the difference when braking hard on dirt where you’d have more traction than asphalt. I’d get a bit of shimmy that went away. If I did it again, I’d only bother with the front. The downside, aside front cost, is it takes a few extra seconds to attach/remove the wheel over QR or TA.
Actually it comes down to brakerub for me. The CAAD series has a front TA and rear QR. The thing I hated about my Cube Cross Race was the QR in combination with the discs. I am not good at the alignment of the wheel it seems, so sometimes my brakes would rub after having the wheels dismounted. This problem went away entirely when I got on a bike with TA front and rear, which is what has kept me from a bike like the CAADX or CAAD12.

jfranci3
Posts: 1572
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 5:21 pm

by jfranci3

A rear TA should more consistently enguage the rear than a QR. The thru bolt should be about the same as a the TA. I just saw the CAADX is up to 38c only. The Checkpoint can do 43mm+, which is a massive upgrade even for light, smooth soft roading. If you're using any of the soft-roading capability, you'll like the fatter tires for bump asorbsion and soft-surface planning.

TheRich
Posts: 1037
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:36 am

by TheRich

jfranci3 wrote:
Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:19 pm
A rear TA should more consistently enguage the rear than a QR. The thru bolt should be about the same as a the TA. I just saw the CAADX is up to 38c only. The Checkpoint can do 43mm+, which is a massive upgrade even for light, smooth soft roading. If you're using any of the soft-roading capability, you'll like the fatter tires for bump asorbsion and soft-surface planning.
A thru axle is going to be stiffer, period...and easier to use. A bike that doesn't have them in 2019 shouldn't be up for consideration.

As far as tire size goes, it depends on what your intent is regarding speed vs. comfort. If fat tires are what you want, touring bikes that fit MTB tires have been around for a long time. Besides, there aren't very many options bigger than 40c anyway.

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