




First ride on new Checkpoint AL4. Great bike for UK gravel riding
Having 40-50 as the lowest gear is a real benefit. Most gravel routes near me involve a fair bit of climbing, often double digit gradients. Too many gravel bikes have 40-44 as the easiest gear so the 2026 models with Cues and a 11-50 cassette are the only bikes I really considered
Has tyre clearance, officially, for 50mm. But will.fot larger, 2.1 MTB tyres apparently not a problem
I find the Cues groupset a little clunky when shifting but it does the job.
I like the geometry, comfortable but still feels racy when picking up speed, especially descending.
First time using a 1x, I, like the simplicity. Front derailleurs are a magnet for dirt when riding in wet and muddy UK conditions, I find.
Don't think my road bike is going to be getting too much use in the coming months....