You may not have heard of Deviate Cycles yet, but that’s about to change. Their latest bike, the Deviate Highlander, rocks 29 inch wheels, 160/140 mm of suspension and is one of the most exciting bikes we have tested this season. We already know high-pivot idler bikes can dominate in the DH World Cup – but can they perform on trail too?
High-pivot bikes are no joke, we’ve already seen their potency on the Downhill World Cup circuit, and bikes like the Deviate Guide and Forbidden Druid have already impressed us in testing. Speaking of Deviate, the small Scottish brand have just launched a new 140 mm bike, the Deviate Highlander, bringing everything we liked about their 160 mm Deviate Guide (high pivot, rearward axle path and superb design) to the trail bike sector, and while doing so, have changed some of the aspects that we thought could be improved, such as losing the gearbox and adding 29inch wheels. With 140 mm of rear-wheel travel, the 29er Deviate Highlander sits right in the sweet spot between short travel rippers and big hit enduro bikes, a bike that on paper at least should be able to rip on any trail. Where the Deviate Guide was a bike that was arguably very niche, in most part due to the inclusion of the Pinion Gearbox, the new Deviate Highlander will be a bike that appeals to a broader audience – without being mainstream at all!
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