That's a 1X SRAM Apex.

It is probably a good deal as a gravel bike (if you don't mind having the N-1 edition; they are just now introducing a new version). I would not want to use that for conventional touring or bike-packing.

Trek should warranty-replace your frame, not give you a credit so you can spend even more of your money on a bike designed for a different purchase (unless you want to buy that type of bike).

They should go suck a bag and give you a new frame, or give you the cash to buy something comparable from somewhere else if they don't have any residual stock.

They probably aren't made anymore, but I got a really nice Soma Saga disc frame for $700. If you can find a Surley LHT, that would be another great one.

If you can get one with GRX 2X 11-speed gearing, get a 46/30T crank and 11-40T XT or SLX cassette. It works. I have this on my Soma Saga touring bike with cable shifting, and my all-road bike, with Di2. Both use the GRX 2X rear derailleur officially rated for 11-34T. A B-screw adjustment is all I needed to use the 40T cassette. I could probably have gone with 42T.

Exactly. In other words, once a bike company honors a warranty for a defective frame, the bike's owner doesn't get the frame back. It's either collected by the bike company's sales rep or rendered unusable by the dealer (e.g., by sawing a dropout off or some other not easily reversed assault).

It's been a long time, but I think the name for that setup was "Alpine gearing."

I’m still a fan of a 40t with a 10/11 X 50/51 with and inner 30t. You can ride the 40t down to 22 inches and then drop to 16 inches.

The catch is you can’t go less than 50 overall tooth count, maybe 55 depending on the RD. So maybe the highest gearing in the 30t is 30-24, or 30-21, before you lose the chain wrap. You also need to make sure the 30t clears the chainstay.

Basically you could run a triple crank and use a bash guard in the outer with a 40t and 30t in the middle and inner.

It might be an attractive option if you can run in the 40t 95% of the time.

John

I think it's interesting that Trek is giving OP such a generous credit, likely close to what he paid several years ago. He'll get a much nicer bike, modern spec and components several levels better. Cost to him will be as if he had traded in his old bike w/o any depreciation. Plus he got quite a bit of use out of it, including at least one accident. With a little thought he could use any gearing he wants, including a triple. I wonder if he can keep the old components?

He's getting a $1300 credit to spend on a $2500 bike that isn't a viable replacement for an on-road touring bike. He still has to spend about $1300, so he might well be better off with a good steel frame and fork purchased elsewhere. (Unfortunately my Soma Saga disc isn't manufactured any more, but for $700 he would have come out way ahead of Trek's "generous" offer. There are likely similar options from other manufacturers. For $1300, he could get a boutique custom steel frame from some makers.)

We'll have to disagree as to whether the Checkpoint is a viable replacement but $1300 still doesn't sound bad for a bike that may have cost $1500ish, is several years old and has been wrecked. And yes, he could use the $1300 on some other Trek bike and start over on the touring bike. Definitely would have been simpler if Trek still had some 520 frames but it seems they are doing the best they can.

The credit is through Trek so I must use it for a new Trek bike. Buying another steel frame from a different manufacturer would be out of pocket and I would still have the $1,300 credit

The bike cost $1,750 in November of 2021. I do feel that $1,300 is a very reasonable amount

For $800, you can get this:

https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/som...=990#attr=1928

This looks like an improvement over my Soma Saga frame.

The accompanying fork (sold separately) doesn't look as appealing.

If it were cash, I would agree.

If it is a merchandise credit and it requires you to spend more than $800, I disagree (unless you want that gravel bike, in which case you should apply it to one of the new generation, carbon frame, etc). But you can get a great touring frame for $800, better than my Soma Saga, and better than my erstwhile Trek 520 (1990).

You are correct, I can get a good frame for $800 but not from Trek. If I buy it elsewhere I am out $800 and still have a $1,300 Trek credit

Do you get to keep the parts from 520? For $1300 you can buy Checkpoint frameset and transfer the drivetrain.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...orCode=reddark

You bring up an interesting point. I can apply the $1,300 credit towards any Trek bike. The dealer suggested a Checkpoint ALR 5. Should I be looking at a carbon fiber frame Checkpoint instead?

I was told by the dealer the wheels from the $520 will not fit the Checkpoint. Not sure about the drivetrain
I do get to keep the 520, I thought about trying to sell some of the parts, not sure there is a market for them

That could be, if the wheels have quick-release hubs.

That would also apply to the Soma frame I linked to.

So if you do get to keep the old frame, it might be worth having it fixed (or if you made it half way across the country with no issue, just ride it into the ground).

It depends what you want to use it for.

If you want to tour with it, forget I even suggested it.

If you want to get into gravel biking and have some fun with it, I would spend the money to get the carbon frame (I say this as a steel bike guy).

This was just to make the point that if you only want to replace your touring bike, it might be less expensive to turn down the merchandise credit. But I wasn't thinking about the wheels.

I was with you up to the last claim.

Wait, you keep the 520 frame and components?
Just buy a replacement frame and move the components to the new frame. Surly, New Albion, Black Mountain, AllCity, etc all have steel frame and fork options for $1000 or less. Buy the frameset that has the geometry you like most and swap the components.

Then buy a new reek that costs $1200, sell it for whatever you can, and call it good.
Again- an REI touring bike is just over $1000 right now and is a legit solid ready to ride touring bike with tested geometey.
There is nothing inherently special about Trek. Spend the money and sell a bike to offset the cost for what you actually want.

There are some inexpensive ones. (Mine was around $1500, 10 years ago, but the price has now doubled.)

eg: https://blackmtncycles.com/product-category/frames/

The Soma one is $800. Obviously not custom, but the point is that a steel touring frame shouldn't have to cost a lot.

Yeah, that is what I meant.

I think the main issue (which I had not thought of) is wheel compatibility.

If you are looking for another touring bike why not the 920? The Checkpoint is a short chainstay bike, not exactly ideal for rear loads but if you’re looking for more road like attributes I suppose that’s where the Checkpoint shines. I have no experience with either.

I would agree and see that the 920 as the 'replacement' for the 720. at the same time, the Checkpoint appears to be more of a gravel/bikepacking bike. If you want to tour as you where with the 720 I would be looking closely at the 920 or maybe even a 920 frame.

For what it is worth, my Salsa Mukluk fat bike, which is used for bikepacking, has a Race Face NEXT SL Direct Mount N/W Single 26T chain ring and an SRAM 950 Cassette 9-speed 11-28, which was 'modified' with a 16T sprocket and a 42T sprocket from OneUP (I do not think that they do this anymore). This was in 2015 so the options have changed since then. My point is that a 1 x setup is not necessarily a limitation.