We’ve dissected Trek’s 2025 road and gravel bike lineup to help you find the right bike for your riding style and budget.

Whether you’re a chiselled racing snake, weekend warrior or complete drop-bar rookie, this buyer’s guide will point you in the right direction when looking for a bike from Trek. This guide constitutes the full range of 2025 drop-bar bikes from the big T. Feel free to message us with any questions you might have about these bikes.

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GRAVEL RACE & ADVENTURE

Gravel means different things to different people. With that in mind, Trek designed the new Checkpoint to be a versatile drop-bar rig that can tick any gravel ride-style. It’s a bike that is equally at home in racing scenarios, mega-endurance days, shredding local loops or bike-packing adventures. The new Checkpoint has a lightweight carbon frame with downtube storage, rack, bottle and mudguard mounts galore. Clearance for 50mm wide tyres, front suspension and dropper post compatibility are but some of the features. The Checkpoint has the brand’s new Gravel Endurance geometry that puts you into a slightly more upright position.

Trek Checkpoint SL 5 AXS

The Checkpoint SL 5 AXS weighs in at 9.5kgs and is available in six frame sizes and two colour ways. Net weight on the frame and fork is 1921 grams, which is not bad for a carbon gravel rig with downtube storage and built in frame compliance techy stuff. That would be the IsoSpeed technology, that sits inside the top tube and essentially decouples the top tube and seat tube, giving a smoother ride feel over the chunder. Build kit highlights include the Bontrager Elite Gravel bars that have a 13-degree flare, SRAM Apex 1x wireless electronic shifting and 42mm Bontrager Girona RSL tyres that are tubeless-ready.

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GRAVEL RACE

Only launched a few months ago, the new Checkmate has ‘Madone-esque’ tube shapes (think semi-aero) and is a premium, race-dedicated gravel whip. In the interest of trimming weight, gone are some of the frills that a more versatile gravel machine requires. The Checkmate cannot be run with a suspension fork, nor a dropper and does not have internal frame storage. The geometry is a little more racy – you’ll be slightly more flat-back style and the tyre clearance is a sizeable 45mm. Of course, the Checkmate does have a plethora of bottle and bag mounts. There are two models available.

Trek Checkmate SLR 7 AXS

Trek knocked out a higher grade of carbon recently — an ‘800 Series’ which is lighter than anything they’ve had before. On the new Checkmate SLR, the frame and fork weight is a mere 1638 grams. This SLR 7 AXS model is decked with a wireless electronic SRAM Force XPLR AXS drivetrain, a very light Aeolus carbon wheelset and Bontrager’s integrated bar/stem deal, with it’s short reach and 6-degree flare. Complete weight is 8.1kg. This bike is a ripper! You’ll love the aero gains, race geometry and vibration damping IsoSpeed tech.

Trek Checkmate SLR 9 AXS

Bling epitomized. Truly. The SLR 9 AXS build kit features the ultralight (sub 1400gram) RSL wheelset, an aero carbon bar/stem and extra gearing range courtesy of SRAM’s new 1 x 13-speed drivetrain. It’s available in six sizes, four colourways and one mighty price tag of R255 000. If that’s a palatable number for you then go for it — ‘they’ say this is the fastest gravel machine money can buy.

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PERFORMANCE ROAD BIKES

Trek’s latest high-performance road bike is the Madone Gen 8. Essentially it’s a fusion of their aero and climbing machines to create a one-bike solution, for all racing conditions. To achieve this, the design engineers created a cocktail of improved tube shapes, used a more efficient (stronger and lighter) carbon with advanced manufacturing techniques to create a bike that is light, aero and compliant. Tyre clearance has been bumped up to 32mm and the Madone Gen 8 is available in two carbon layups; the SL and SLR. Here’s a breakdown of the 2025 models.

Trek Madone SL 5

Yes it’s the entry point to the Madone Gen 8 range, however, the SL 5 model shares the geometry and some of the aero benefits of the top models. Shimano 105 mechanical shifting and the aluminum Bontrager wheelset help keep the price at a wallet-friendly R65 000. There’s a lot of bang for your buck here, including the IsoSpeed tech (the hole in the seat tube), race geometry and integrated cable routing – through the head tube. The SL 5 is available in two colours and the full size curve, that’s six frame sizes.

Trek Madone SL 6 AXS

Adding carbon wheels reduces weight and improves aero and that’s what you are getting with the SL 6 AXS model. Another build kit highlight is the easy shifting with the SRAM 2 x 12 wireless electronic drivetrain. Often overlooked when moving to a SRAM drivetrain is the unique gearing in the system. By incorporating a small 10t gear on the cassette, the chainring sizes can also be reduced – which means you have the same range of gears, in a lighter package. The SL 6 AXS is a highly capable race bike and will be one of the best-selling models in the 2025 lineup.

Trek Madone SLR 7

Trek’s most premium carbon, the 900 Series, features on the Madone SLR models and is key to driving the weight down. On this SLR 7, you’ve got Pirelli P Zero Race 28mm tyres, classic Shimano Ultegra gearing and electronic shifting with a final package coming in at 7.3kg.

Trek Madone SLR 7 AXS

With the SLR 7 AXS you are now full ready to race and dazzle the bunch on your social rolls. It’s a truly impressive bike – and the Iridescent finish is exhilarating. You’ve got the quick shifting of SRAM Force underneath you, fast 51mm deep section carbon wheels and Trek’s RSL one piece cockpit for control and aero. Pulling it all together is the new 900 Series Carbon, used in the frame. A light, fast and fancy beast.

Trek Madone SLR 9

With Madone SLR 9 you’re getting Shimano’s premium Dura-Ace grupo, Bontrager’s superlight (1400gram) RSL 51 wheelset and a complete bike weight of just 7kg. With sealant. We love the Team Replica colourway and the RSL aero bottles that are included with the SLR 9 model.

Trek Madone SLR 9 AXS

The superbike. Also equivalent to an F1 car. Basically all the money in the world doesn’t really get you any more bike than the SLR 9 AXS Madone, in Icon Interstellar colourway. Other paintwork options are available and are priced around R60 000 less, but if you are shopping at this pricepoint you may as well go all-in and get the mirror-like, Interstellar finish. Topping off all the bling is the superlight SRAM Red AXS groupset. Watch our review here.

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