Spotted: A New 165mm Travel Enduro Race Bike From Deviate
It's fair to say Deviate was a bit ahead of the curve when it comes to high pivot suspension designs. While the past 18 months have seen many brands experiment with rearward axles paths and idlers, Deviate was making bikes with the pivot point above the chainring back in 2017 with the 160mm Guide frame.
Deviate has since refined its concept into the Highlander range that eschews the gearbox for a conventional drivetrain in a trail-friendly package. Unlike most high pivot bikes, which are aimed at the gravity-fed crowd, Deviate's Highlander bikes have previously had a focus on all-round riding with 140mm and 150mm options.
The high single-pivot, linkage-activated suspension design appears to be carried over from the Highlander range.
That might be about to change however as we spotted U21 racer Henry Crease racing on a 165mm travel Deviate prototype at the EWS Tweed Valley. Our guess is that this bike will replace the somewhat-dated Guide as Deviate's new enduro race offering. At the moment, the details are thin on the ground for this bike but it shares a very similar silhouette to the other Highlanders so we're expecting it to be an extension of that range and the sword decal on the downtube pretty much confirms that.
Deviate has spent the past four years producing high pivot bikes and we're not expecting that to change anytime soon.
The 165mm travel bike is designed to be run with a 170 or 180mm fork. This specific prototype is a size large, with a 64-degree head tube angle (170mm fork), and 490mm reach, making it 1° slacker and 23mm longer than the equivalent Highlander 150.
The suspension system looks to be carried over from the rest of the Highlander range, although we expect there has been some kinematic tinkering for a progressive enduro racing tune. Also borrowed from the current Highlander is the external cable routing channel below the top tube, the idler hardware and the seat tube angle - Henry is running a 210mm dropper "slammed" in the size Large.
Frame details include built-in protection and ample clearance for the worst of the Scottish weather.
Deviate calls the bike, "very much a tool for steep, technical and fast trails, designed to smash your PBs on any enduro track." A production version of this bike will be released in early 2022.
160 Comments
I'm pretty sure a small brand looking to generate some attention for a new product is not really surprising to anyone!
If you’d have titled it in any other way, the ‘global internet armchair professors’ would still highlight your shortfalls.
Let them have their moment as their mum shouts down to them in the basement, if they want another bowl of lucky charms.
Resume illogical and pointless trashing of @mikekazimer, outside, and the way every article is written, regardless of how it is written.
All I see is a descriptive title. Why is everyone getting there nips twisted over these "Spotted" articles.
They've seen this bike, asked for details and brought you photos - and you still think it's some kind of swindle.
It's called journalism (and it's my career so I know it when I see it).
What did you gain from this useless title which is generating this useless discussion?
PB/Outside did get more customer interaction, but you?
why you're pointing the finger at deviate i don't know.
Prototype sounds cooler though.
Tagline: There can only be one!
*Panning shots of Scottish highlands*
If some company doesn't start making bike with more than just one idler, and requires at least 3 chains, I don't know where the industry is heading.
What happened to INNOVATION?
Duh.
Going down is another thing altogether. I've beaten all of my Strava times with this new bike. High pivot isn't just for DH.
Just geeking out but what other company employs grease ports on their pivots? Works like a charm!
If I don't end up getting another Last as my next bike, Deviate is one of the most likely alternatives, would love to try this high pivot stuff.
I really am sold on the HP - it goes! My young lad just pre-ordered the new Devinci Spartan so I'm definitely looking forward to trying it out as well.
I've noticed the mbr review of the Highlander where they basically say that there is stiction in the rear end, due to the lip seals used on the bearings, meaning the ride is not as smooth as you might think. Has anyone with a Highlander noticed this?
No disrespect to idler pulley bikes (more than one way to skin a cat).
I do understand why they exsist maybe its more of an esthetic thing to me or perceived more chain friction. I haven't warmed up to them yet...........just seems to me the equivalent of sticking bandaid on gashing wound.
Though I see now it goes into the stays after that, what a wasted opportunity.
Ha ha, your bats can't fly and you can't hit a six off a underarm mullygrubber! Take that!
As in... that mutha cut me with uh suhwoed!
www.trademarkelite.com/europe/trademark/trademark-detail/009177941/CLAYMORE
Also I rebuilt an 05 Prophet with modern parts (27.5 conv, 1x1, custom tuned shock etc) and I beat the tar out of it. I ride that thing balls to the wall wherever I can. I even took it to Mtn Creek and it did fine on the blues and greens which is my current skill level.
No crackage or failage there. I do know the rep was well earned for a while there though. Maybe I got lucky.
I’ve been riding long enough to remember the same being said of suspension forks, full suspension, disc brakes, and 29” wheels.
Turkey noises…
No idea if mullets and high pivots will stick around, but not every new trend is a keeper.
Reasonable points, but to also be fair, I don’t actually know anyone with either a mullet or a high pivot bike, so I don’t think people are *gobbling* them up, really.
I'm not really sure whether mixed wheel sizes ever completely make sense anyway, because if you're short enough to need more clearance over the rear wheel, you probably also want a lower stack height, which is much easier to achieve with a smaller front wheel too.
*proceeds to know almost every spec and kinemetic changes*
EYEROLL.GIF.GTFO