Merida Silex 400 vs Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 comes out ahead (73% against 62%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Merida Silex 400 is £50 cheaper — £1,650 against £1,700.
- Weight
- The Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 is 1.2kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 sits you more upright (1.54 stack-to-reach against 1.47). The Merida Silex 400 is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 takes 50mm tyres against 45mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Merida Silex 400 has the easier bottom gear (23 gear inches against 25), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
Side by side
| Spec | Silex 400 | Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,650 | £1,700 |
| Weight | 11.1 kg | 9.9 kg |
| Frame | alloy | alloy |
| Groupset | Shimano GRX 400 2x10 mechanical | SRAM Apex XPLR 1x12 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.47 | 1.54 |
| Tyre clearance | 45 mm | 50 mm |
| Lowest gear | 23 in | 25 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | Yes |
| Comfort | 65 | 77 |
| Speed | 17 | 23 |
| Climbing | 44 | 54 |
| Value | 12 | 25 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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