Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 vs Bianchi Impulso Comp GRX 610
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 SL 5 AXS Gen 3 comes out ahead (77% against 58%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 is £100 cheaper — £2,750 against £2,850.
- Weight
- The Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 is 0.3kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 sits you more upright (1.51 stack-to-reach against 1.42). The Bianchi Impulso Comp GRX 610 is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Tyre clearance
- The Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 takes 50mm tyres against 42mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Bianchi Impulso Comp GRX 610 has the easier bottom gear (23 gear inches against 25), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
- Shifting
- Only the Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 has electronic shifting. Crisper and lower maintenance, but it needs charging and costs more to replace.
- Mudguards
- Only the Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 takes mudguards, which decides whether it can be your winter bike.
Side by side
| Spec | Checkpoint SL 5 AXS Gen 3 | Impulso Comp GRX 610 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,750 | £2,850 |
| Weight | 9.5 kg | 9.8 kg |
| Frame | carbon | carbon |
| Groupset | SRAM Apex XPLR AXS 1x12 electronic | Shimano GRX RX610 2x12 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.51 | 1.42 |
| Tyre clearance | 50 mm | 42 mm |
| Lowest gear | 25 in | 23 in |
| Mudguard mounts | Yes | No |
| Comfort | 76 | 60 |
| Speed | 30 | 38 |
| Climbing | 59 | 60 |
| Value | 35 | 12 |
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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