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Dan Johnson

@dpjohnson79

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Out riding my bike or running
#gravelbike #gravelcycling #cycling #fatbike #running

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Hit a milestone today - 1,000 miles on my @trekbikes Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3. Figured I'd provide a review after 1,000 miles and 7 months with the bike.

Coming from steel and all aluminum bikes, the Checkpoint's aluminum frame w/carbon fork is noticeably lighter and that difference shows up in a big way when climbing. I'm able to keep a higher cadence and get up those hills faster and more efficiently.

I have to say, the stock Bontrager Girona Pro tires have proven to be pretty bomb proof; no issues at all with them and they have been on clay, gravel, dirt, singletrack, doubletrack, along with smooth and not so smooth asphalt. They've handled all those surfaces well and while maybe not the fastest-rolling tire, I'll take durability over speed every time. The Bontrager alloy wheels have been sturdy, too.

Trek nailed it with this colorway! The blue-to-green fade looks even better in person. They also nailed it with the Checkpoint as a bike; it is a bike you can confidently ride anywhere and that was a big selling point for me. It is nice having a bike I can just as easily ride on my neighborhood roads as I can on clay and dirt roads when I am up for exploring or participating in an organized ride.

This is my first experience with SRAM and it's been a bit of a mixed bag. More gear slippage than I was expecting to start, but it has smoothed out with more miles underneath it. The shifting is noisy at times, that's for sure, but overall pretty smooth. The one-button for shifting was easy to adapt to. The brakes are responsive, but the housing can come out of alignment, requiring some additional adjusting to stop any rotor rub.

The glaring negative is the bike can be noisy at times - with a noticeable creak that pops up at various times. Seven months in and I still haven't been able to get it to fully go away. The creaking can take some of the enjoyment of the ride away as the noise is that prevalent.

In all, the Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 is a really great bike. If I can resolve the creaking noise, it'll be close to perfect.

#trekbikes #trekgravel #trekcheckpointalr5gen3 #gravelbikes #floridacycling by @dpjohnson79

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20 days ago

The Empire State Trail once again did not disappoint. And, thanks to some maintenance work, a detour took me through parts of downtown Utica I hadn't seen in a long time and was a nice trip down memory lane.

In all, this trip was a blast. Pristine trails, amazing weather and a bike in the Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 that proved to be up for true multi-surface rides and adventures.

#trekgravel #trekbikes #trekcheckpointalr5gen3 #gravelbikes #partypace by @dpjohnson79

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a month ago

I have had an amazing time exploring some of the many trails the wonderful state of Virginia has to offer. The New River Trail is amazing! The path is wide, and love the dirt, gravel and crushed limestone. Very peaceful to follow alongside the river and the quietness was incredibly peaceful. The W & OD trail also earns high marks. The paved path is fast-rolling, but the W & OD gets bonus points for the gravel and off-road paths that follow along the main trail. Both trails offer a ton of cover from the sun, but I got lucky and had really nice temps, the kind where you just want to ride all day.

The @trekbikes Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 has been a blast to ride on these trails and these multi-surface paths are one of the reasons I opted for this bike as it's comfortable on everything thrown its way.

And, I also want to give a big thank you to Lauren for always being up for planning a trip around bike rides and encouraging me to keep getting out there and getting the most of these experiences. To have a spouse who supports you and your hobbies truly means a lot. I love you!

#trekbikes #trekcheckpointalr5gen3 #gravelbike #gravelcycling #partypace by @dpjohnson79

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a month ago

A quick overview of the @salsacycles Journeyer. Versatile, approachable and affordable, the Journeyer is the do-it-all bike. #adventurebybike #salsajourneyer #salsacycles #gravelbike by @dpjohnson79

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4 months ago

Another adventure in the books for me and the @trekbikes Checkpoint. Took a little trip up to Winter Garden to take part in the Friends of Lake Apopka (FOLA) ride to commemorate the completion of the loop trail. 47 glorious miles of paved trails, along with the near 18-mile gravel ride around Lake Apopka. Saw 12 gators, including one just a couple of feet from the trail, and so many birds! It was, a beautiful day. The FOLA group does such an amazing job organizing and supporting these rides - 4 SAG stops, assisted road crossings at the busiest intersections and plenty of friendly faces cheering you on at various points of thrle trail. I can't wait to do it again!

#trekgravel #trekbikes #trekcheckpointalr5 #gravelcycling #gravelbikes by @dpjohnson79

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5 months ago

Coming up on 3 months with the @trekbikes Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3. Buying a bike for where you actually ride and how you ride is so important. While I'd love to ride dirt, gravel and clay roads all the time, the reality is those aren't easily accessible to me. What I do have is a lot of pavement and a great rail trail. The Checkpoint is a truly versatile bike as it zips along on said paved roads and trails, yet is very capable and comfortable on those mixed surfaces when I've had the opportunity to get out of town and explore off the beaten path. And yes, it did just fine on the minimally maintained roads with 42'' tires.

#trekbikes #trekcheckpointalr5 #trekgravel #gravelbikes #partypace by @dpjohnson79

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6 months ago

Joined the Sarasota County Off Road Riders (SCORR) for their Old Bombs, New Blooms Avon Park ride, which for those that know, put us right back in the heart of @orangeblossomgravel territory. Thanks to some much-needed rain recently, the clay roads were packed down pretty well and made for a smooth ride. I wound up peeling off the route around miles 28 and worked my way back to my car for a total of 41 miles. It was a great day and am glad I did something a little out of my comfort zone as I tend to ride solo. A big thanks and shout out to Tony for being so welcoming and a great riding partner for those 28 miles we wound up sharing the roads together.

It has been a big month for the @trekbikes Checkpoint, and feeling now like I have it really dialed in. I'm loving the responsiveness and way it rides in a variety of conditions.

#trekgravel #trekcheckpointalr5 ##gravelcycling #gravelbike #partypace by @dpjohnson79

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6 months ago

Feeling very grateful and fulfilled after several days spent in the FL panhandle and into southern GA riding on some amazing clay, dirt and gravel roads. Completed the 60-mile course at the @ridedirtypecan and a couple of days later revisited some of that course and explored new (to me) roads as I ventured from Monticello, FL to Thomasville, GA and back. The minimally-traveled roads provided a sense of solitude, while the gorgeous trees not only offered shade, but a wonderfully stunning visual along the route. I didn't need to worry about having music (I never listen to it on rides) as the birds provided the only soundtrack I needed.

Took the @trekbikes Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3 for the trip and the bike did not disappoint on its first true off-road adventure. Was punchy when it needed to be and the carbon fork soaked up a lot of the bumps and kept my hands, neck and back from feeling sore during and after the ride. The 12-speed gearing definitely helped on the hilly sections. Blessed to have had no mechanical issues.

Really glad I was able to make the trip happen and am already looking forward to riding these roads again.

#trekgravel #trekcheckpointalr5 #gravelcycling ##gravelbike #partypace by @dpjohnson79

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7 months ago

A bit of a full circle moment for me. The first bike I rode as an adult was a Trek; an 860, I think. Purchased it for $50 at a local bike shop that was holding a garage sale of sorts. It was the bike that introduced me to mountain biking and off-road riding and helped ignite my passion for riding. Many years later, I find myself back on a @trekbikes and I couldn't be happier. After months of research and asking questions (huge thanks to those of you who talked through things with me) I selected a Checkpoint ALR 5 Gen 3. I'll go ahead and admit that the color scheme did play a factor (small, but it was). Trek freaking nailed this fade and colorway! It looks even better in person.

After a couple of rides, the Checkpoint has delivered on the things I was looking for in a new gravel bike. The bike rips on pavement and comes alive and is playful on gravel and dirt roads, without sacrificing speed. The carbon forks dampens trail and road chatter and the lighter frame weight compared to my other bikes is noticeable. Riding position is very comfortable, as is the saddle.

Still dialing in some things as the front wheel took a bit to adjust to get ride of the rotor rub and the shifting isn't fully silky smooth, but even with that these initial rides have been a blast and I'm looking forward to further exploring and riding this new bike.

#trekcheckpointalr5 #trekgravel #gravelbike ##gravelcycling #floridacycling by @dpjohnson79

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8 months ago

Two days, two great gravel events here in Florida. Saturday was the @orangeblossomgravel and what an amazing experience that was. From sliding through thick clay to flying along some paved roads and smoother dirt trails, the 60-mile course had it all, including amazing scenery of all the orange blossoms. Incredibly well-organized, the @orangeblossomgravel really felt like a celebration of the non-competitive side of cycling or "a really large group ride" we landed on during a post-ride chat.

Today was Piggy's Revenge and I did the 20-mile gravel route. Another event that was extremely well-run - the Sarasota County Off Road Riders (SCORR) nailed it with the route choice and the directional signage made navigating it a breeze.

Enjoyed meeting so many people over the weekend - thanks to all who took the time to engage in conversation - or just say hi - along the routes.

My @weareprimoscycles Dame handled all of the clay, gravel, singletrack, doubletrack, dirt and pavement like a champ. Took a few beatings along the way, but never wavered and this affordable gravel bike is more than capable of taking you on incredible adventures.

#primoscyclesdame #primoscycles #gravelbike #floridagravelbiking ##partypace by @dpjohnson79

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8 months ago

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9 months ago

Felt good to get back out on the @salsacycles Journeyer. I'm loving the recent switch to the flat pedals. On today's ride, I really noticed and appreciated the more upright riding position the Journeyer put me in. Coming up on seven years with this Salsa bike, which has in some ways gone by in a blur. I still remember being blown away by its smoothness and comfort when I took it out for a test ride, and how it opened my eyes to a whole new way of riding. Spread across eight states, this bike has taken me out on gravel and fire roads, dirt paths, singletrack, doubletrack, pavement and asphalt and along the way opened my eyes to the endless beauty of nature. I keep thinking maybe I'll get a new Salsa, but then I look at my Journeyer with the sweet orange frame and cool green bottle cages and pedals and think we have more adventures in store. Looking forward to seeing where the bike will take me in 2026.

#salsacycles #salsajourneyer #adventurebybike #gravelbikes #partypace by @dpjohnson79

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9 months ago