Deviate Introduces 150mm Version of High Pivot Highlander
PRESS RELEASE: Deviate
Deviate Cycles today reveal a new addition to their Highlander range of bikes - the Highlander 150.
Continuing to leverage the suspension action, sleek design, and sweet spot geometry of the Highlander 140, the 150 slackens it and switches it up to 150mm of smooth, responsive travel.
The original Highlander 140 is designed to be a capable do it all trail bike, as happy on all-day back-country epics as carving turns at the bike park. The Highlander 150 shifts the focus a little – with that extra 10mm of travel and subtle geometry tweaks, it’s rowdier, with more of a descent focus, and can take the big stuff a little harder - whilst still being a great all-round machine.
The Highlander 150 doesn't just have more travel - the head angle is kicked back to 65 degrees for a little more high-speed stability and confidence when the going gets steep. Additionally, the suspension leverage curve is more progressive which lends the Highlander 150 to coil or high volume air shocks.
Deviate’s high pivot point, and the careful idler placement, mean the suspension performance on the Highlander is the best of all possible worlds, according to Deviate. The rearward axle path lets the bike flow over rough terrain, and as the idler location controls anti-squat, the Highlander has negligible pedal kickback and a deliberate anti-squat curve which eliminates pedal-induced suspension bob. The unique kinematics of a high pivot point design maintains chassis stability and geometry under heavy braking, meaning aggressive riding is rewarded.
Anyone who already owns a Highlander 140 can change it up to a Highlander 150 and vice-versa by simply swapping out the rocker link - making the already capable trail bike even more versatile. The Highlander 150 is still running 29” wheels and retains the Highlander's signature balance of stability and playfulness.
Frame Details
• Lifetime warranty, crash/damage replacement policy
• Fully sealed bearings throughout - high-quality double row, angular contact max fill bearings
• Silent 18t chain idler with twin outboard sealed bearings
• Grease ports on all pivots and idler for ease of maintenance
• Cable gutter for clean lines with care-free maintenance
• Fully sealed bearings throughout - high-quality double row, angular contact max fill bearings
• Silent 18t chain idler with twin outboard sealed bearings
• Grease ports on all pivots and idler for ease of maintenance
• Cable gutter for clean lines with care-free maintenance
• 2.8” tire clearance
• Boost 148
• Threaded BB
• Bonded rubber frame protector
• Water bottle compatible
• Accessory mounting points
• 126 link chain - commonly available - no need to join chains
• Boost 148
• Threaded BB
• Bonded rubber frame protector
• Water bottle compatible
• Accessory mounting points
• 126 link chain - commonly available - no need to join chains
Bikes are now available to pre-order at deviatecycles.com in M, L & XL sizes. The Highlander 150 is offered as a frame only with a choice of air and coil shocks. Prices start at $3200 USD/£2699 GBP and all frames come with a lifetime warranty and crash/damage replacement policy. Shipping is free worldwide.
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Get to it PB!
Maintenance? Yea...you definitely never owned or ridden a HPS. I have yet to change out my chain. And that’s with nothing but park riding.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlander_
PB when an up and coming brand reuses the front triable - "Oh hell yes. Shut up and take my money. Why aren't more companies doing this?"
Now, I'm not saying that reusing triangles is an issue necessarily, but this is clearly a different configuration of the same bike (it even has the same name), and Deviate will even sell you the link if you want to put yours in that configuration.
- Connor MacLeod: How do you fight such a savage?
- Ramirez: With heart, faith and steel. In the end there can be only one.”
Hear that, Australian distributors? Stop gouging us
So yeah , AUD$1000 price hike
There’s an import duty and shipping. Dunno exactly what they’d be. That said it still had to be a substantial & dubious ‘Australian Tax’ applied to many Mtb products.
Many Mtb companies have prices close to parity across international markets, including Australia. Then for some products it’s substantially more expensive to buy them here. I suspect it has much to do with the dealer/importer in question and/or whether the original bike company enforces price parity.
I’d be interested in the finer points on this if anyone knows.
*With both 140mm and 150mm links
And maybe do some efficiency tests. Power loss should only be a few watts for bearing drag on the high idler pulley. I’d give up a few watts for a lot of capability!!
We've not heard of anyone having this problem so far - and if anyone does damage the alloy link, it's an easy replacement and would be covered under our crash/damage replacement - so inexpensive.
This one says silent. Is it really silent? Forbidden made the same claim
What I can say is all of these high pivot bikes are more sensitive to setup then standard drivetrain bikes. I was not able to get my Druid setup to perform silently and to have the best suspension performance it could by myself. I needed a good mechanic at a great local shop to tune it and once it was done the bike has been flawless since.
There is no combination of frame and shock we sell that comes to more than $4000 USD.
I’d like greater reach and stack for us big folk.
Gorgeous looking bike
6ft6, 29ers and longer reach frames have been welcome developments in mtbing for us tall folk!
Some brands xxl is similar to other xl sizing. I’d love to try something around +525mm reach and a large stack. (My current bikes are around 500). There are some brands out there making larger bikes, just haven’t tried them yet.
Love the look of the highlander and being a Scotsman, it’d be nice to support the home team.
So happy with mine, got it on preorder. Unbelievably stable and composed but still super playful. Some might criticise the head angle but because the wheelbase grows under compression it means the bike maintains responsive handling under hard cornering.
I would expect here are people crying out for an XXL (just make sure the seat tube doesn’t get any longer)
Most frames you'll see quote an effective angle (a virtual line drawn between the BB and intersection of seat angle on the horizontal line with the top of the headtube). Their true angle is slacker than the "effective angle" because the forward axle path of the rear wheel requires an offset seatpost for clearance. Our rearward axle path allows us to run a true angle.
The advantage is that the true angle means that when you put your saddle up beyond the intersection line from the top of the head-tube (which most riders do) the true angle is maintained which means that we don't require as steep a seat angle as other manufactures to achieve the same seated riding position.
Comparing to other bikes effective vs actually. Looks like that is one steep SA, 79ish?
I measured the seat tube directly with the app on my phone (only sensitive to 1 degree I think) and got 76 (great news!). When I measured the line between the bottom bracket and where my sit bones would actually be on my saddle, I got 78 (even better news!). I measured the fork legs themselves and got 66, since the shape of the head tube looked like it would make it hard to get an accurate reading. All of the other measurements like wheelbase, chainstays, etc. were basically spot on to the geo chart.
I like all of these things. I don't think my HTA needs to be 63 to perform well. I have a lot of tight uphill switchbacks that are difficult even on a short bike. This bike is 70mm longer than my other rig and I can still make it around all of those tight turns. Additionally, it is a bit slacker than my other bike too, so I am not suffering in any way on the descents (I wasn't before anyway).
As an added bonus, inside the front triangle I have 2 water bottles, a pump, a mount to hold 2 additional CO2 canisters and a bag with 2 tubes, a pair of pliers w/ quick links and a tire lever! Combined with the multi tool and chaintool in my bars and the DART strapped under my saddle, I am fully equipped. This bike is perfect for me and shreds in silence to boot.
I'd caution that a phone app won't provide an accurate measurement and your garage floor would have to be calibrated. However, measuring the fork leg won't provide an accurate HA. The angle is from the centre of the front wheel so the rake of the fork will affect the angle. This probably accounts for your slightly steeper reading than we quote. The angles we state in the geo chart are the result of measurements taken with the specified fork in our design software and therefore are extremely accurate.
As said by @the666ner, HPP's have an extending wheelbase under suspension compression, maintaining stability. Additionally, under heavy braking the high anti-rise figure means the HA is maintained reducing the need for a slack HA.
It's also worth bearing in mind our true seat angle (unlike most manufactures who have an effective angle quoted, with the true angle much slacker) means that for most riders the seat position is equivalent to a much steeper angle.
A successful bike is a combination of angles and kinematics, not just about hitting a specific angle.