The Trek Checkpoint Gen 3, Coros' Dura, Wolftooth's new dropper post, track pumps for Lezyne and Motul's cleaning range
The five coolest things to land in the office joined by the best stories of the week.
This week's Five Cool Things take the form of Trek's latest gravel bike, a crazy-cool Coros cycling computer and an update of one of the best dropper posts. Alongside that trio, we'll check out a pair of pumps from Lezyne and Motul's bike care range but not before dropping back in on the week's top stories.
- Best cycling computers 2024 - top options for mountain bikers
- Does cycling depend too much on technology?
- Can F1 technology benefit mountain biking? Rimpact thinks so with its Tuned Mass Damper
The most exciting story of the week is the launch of Trek's all-new Checkmate and the updated Checkpoint gravel bikes. The former is the brand's new race-focussed gravel bike packed with aerodynamic features for maximum speed. The Checkpoint gets a smidgeon of nip and tuck as it welcomes a more comfortable geometry and more storage features while retaining a racy and fast character. We even managed to get some time on the Checkpoint ahead of the launch, so head over to our Trek Checkpoint SL 7 Gen 3 first ride review for some early impressions.
Genesis is also back in the news as the brand unveiled its updated gravel range including the Croix de Fer – the most significant update since 2008.
On top of that, GO Outdoors has announced a new sale, having slashed bike prices by over 50%. The outdoors retailer is lopped off huge figures from three bikes.
Elsewhere, Ty awarded Sonder's steel-framed Broken Road ST SLX an impressive four and a half stars for its comfort, number of mounting points, and range of spec and customisation options. The WTB Wavelength grips get four stars for their simplicity, comfort and vibration reduction and Ergon's BT Gravel bar tape is also praised for its comfort and vibration damping.
Trek Checkpoint SL 7 Gen 2
£6,350
2024 trek checkpoint sl 7 ffr hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Topping this week's Five Cool Things is Trek's new Checkpoint, pictured here in the range-topping SL 7 build. Now in its third generation, Trek has tweaked the geometry, and storage options, and the IsoSpeed link is slightly different this time around. Equipping the bike with what Trek calls 'Gravel Endurance Geo'. That means that the Checkpoint's stack is slightly taller and its front end is a bit shorter, and steeper all in a bid to make it more comfortable.
On this top-end build, Trek has given the Checkpoint SRAM's Force AXS 1x groupset. There's lots of carbon on offer, too, including the Bontrager wheelset which balances aerodynamics with strength and light weight. There's the IsoSpeed tech that was found on the original Checkpoint, too – essentially it decouples the seat tube from the top tube by way of an elastomer. Combined with a flexy seatpost the idea is to damp vibration.
For more, we've got a first ride review ready for your perusal.
Wolf Tooth Components Resolve Rev2
£390
2024 wolftooth resolve 2 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The Resolve is Wolf Tooth Components' first crack at a dropper post, It's receiving high praise for its durability, lightweight, and smooth action. Despite the success, the designers have gone back to the drawing board and unveiled the Resolve Rev2.
From the outside, there's nothing much new to see but the size range has expanded as the Resolve now comes in an additional 34.9mm diameter to fit the current trend of fat seat tubes. Wolf Tooth has also added an even longer travel model to the range, now offering 242mm of drop. The brand has also updated the internal mechanism to improve the post's good self-bleeding while making it smoother throughout the travel.
Of course, all the usual facets remain, such as the adjustable travel, the low stack and the short insertion length.
Coros Dura Solar GPS Bike Computer
£250
2024 coros dura 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Coros has a rich history of creating some of the best fitness and adventure watches. The brand has taken all that data-gathering know-how and released its first bicycle computer – the Dura. As expected from the brand, a lot is going on here but it promises 120 hours of ride time on a single charge and that's bolstered thanks to built-in solar charging that'll add another two hours to its battery life.
As with many of the best cycling computers, there's a touch screen but the rather peculiar inclusion is a physical dial to scroll through the various screen menus. The Dura provides dual-frequency satellite tracking with an automatic GPS mode selection function and turn-by-turn routing. The Dura also integrates with Coros's range of wearables. There are a bunch of safety features that can alert select people in the event of a crash.
Lezyne Macro HV Floor Drive and Alloy HV Digital Drive track pumps
£45 - £120
2024 lezyne pumps 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
In anticipation of a big update coming to our best floor pumps buyer's guide, we've been calling in track pumps from everywhere we can and the first to land in the office are Lezyne's Macro HV and Alloy Digital HV. Both are high-volume pumps designed to deliver plenty of air into large-volume tyres but come from either end of Lezyne's price range. The Macro HV is the budget-friendly model, whereas the Alloy Digital HV is the high-end option.
The Macro is built to be reliable and affordable with an oversized steel barrel and piston. Its handle is made of a composite plastic and this pump is kitted with Lezyne's Dual Valve Pump Head, providing compatibility with Presta, Shrader, and Dunlop valves. It gets a sizeable 3.5in gauge that reads up to 100psi.
The Alloy HV Digital Drive turns things up a not with a CNC-machined aluminium construction, an oversized barrel with a steel piston and a wooden handle. This pump uses Lezyne's ABS-1 Pro Tubeless Chuck attached to a long, nylon-reinforced braided hose with aluminium hardware. The Alloy HV Digital Drive employs a digital gauge.
Motul bike care range
£10 - £13.50
2024 motul cleaners 5ct.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Motul is a brand best known for its range of oils and lubricants. As with many brands, like Tru-Tune, Motul has moved into bicycle care and looks rather affordable. Each product is made with a biological formula free of aerosols, solvents, silicones and volatile organic compounds – and all of the packaging is made from recycled plastics.
Its range spans every application required for regular bikes through to e-bikes, with wet and dry frame cleaners available. There are also chain lube, disc brake and chain cleaner options. The best bit is that the range doesn't go above £13.50 in terms of pricing.
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