In high lands - Two years later

atty

Has excellent taste.
It all started when my misses said your bike is nice, I think you should buy a new one so I can ride it.

That bike was the 2018 Enduro in size large – fun bike to ride but now it was no longer mine. So the quest began, what bike can I afford, what bike looks cool, what bike suits my riding style?

I was torn between the Norco Sight and the new Specialized Enduro. I know, both different beast but I wanted something that could ride flowy trails while staying composed on the descents.

Then a boutique brand out of Scotland seemed to provide the solution. A high pivot trail bike that ticks most of the boxes. It looks cool. It suits my riding style. Price, well let’s ignore that.

The guys from Deviate were super helpful, including Brecon from EMTB AUS who assisted with shipping and sourcing additional parts.

Over a couple late nights, I had finished the build. I have to say I’m stoked with how it turned out.

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Frame - Deviate Highlander in XL 150mm travel linkage
Rear shock - Canecreek Kitsuma Air
Front shock/fork -Ohlins RXF 36 Evo 160mm
Handlebars - Raceface Next
Stem - Raceface Turbine 32mm
Headset -Canecreek Hellbender
Grips -Oury
Seatpost - Oneup 210mm
Front brake -Code R
Rear brake - Code R
Cranks - Descendant 170mm
Chain - Box
Rear derailleur - XT 11 spd
Rear shifter - SLX 11spd
Cassette - Xt 11/46
 
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shiny

Go-go-gadget-wrist-thingy
Nice! Is there only one tab for the rear brake line on the rear triangle? Seems a bit odd not too have 2 to keep the line tied down all the way to the caliper.

So many great idler bikes coming out lately. Need some ride reports once you have been out for a bit.
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Such a nice looking ride! I'm really interested in the HPP / idler bikes.

Forbidden have a LT version coming I hear. As said earlier, it'd be good to hear your ride report, especially as you're XL sized.
@atty, I didn't know it could provide 150mm travel, I thought it was limited to 140mm. How much extra did that link cost, and does it mean a different shock?
 
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HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
I love the look of that bike and the colour too!

I don't think I could live with zero riser bars considering the height of your dropper, must be some serious leaning forward on that thing!
 

Minlak

custom titis
I love the look of that bike and the colour too!

I don't think I could live with zero riser bars considering the height of your dropper, must be some serious leaning forward on that thing!
Aggressive stance for aggressive riding
 

kten

understands stuff moorey doesn't
Just realised it has external cable routing...another solid yes. This frame is top of my list right now.
 

nzhumpy

Googlemeister who likes bikes and scandal
It's funny that, how internal routing has grown and reduced in interest for some riders.

It looks neat and smooth but is a royal PITA come service time.
I reckon a fair chunk of users here self service, hence the love for external c/r'ing, all the others just ride until something breaks and stop working or just outsources to a bike shop.
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
As much as I like the look of my Remedy, the internal routing, and their control freak management (their name, not mine) drives me to distraction. Id be happy to live without it despite it resulting in almost no cable run on the frame.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Just realised it has external cable routing...another solid yes. This frame is top of my list right now.
Not only external, but routed nicely in a recessed channel under the TT so the frame still looks neat. Cable management is spaced at bottle cage intervals so you can mount stuff to the underside of the TT using the same bolts.

Dropper obviously is still internal, and there's a quick and easy internal section for the rear derailleur. Build was an absolute breeze.
 

atty

Has excellent taste.
Very nice ! Like the colour too... apparently mine is about 5 weeks away.
Mate you're in for a treat, awesome ride. What shock did you choose?

Nice! Is there only one tab for the rear brake line on the rear triangle? Seems a bit odd not too have 2 to keep the line tied down all the way to the caliper.

So many great idler bikes coming out lately. Need some ride reports once you have been out for a bit.
There's three tabs for cable ties, just can't see in the photo's.

Such a nice looking ride! I'm really interested in the HPP / idler bikes.

Forbidden have a LT version coming I hear. As said earlier, it'd be good to hear your ride report, especially as you're XL sized.
@atty, I didn't know it could provide 150mm travel, I thought it was limited to 140mm. How much extra did that link cost, and does it mean a different shock?
They now provide a 150mm linkage as an option. You can also purchase it should anyone have the 140mm link, I think its about $200 AUD. The linkage retains the same shock stroke length - the end result is an increase in leverage ratio of 2.54 to 2.73 - good stuff for large air cans and coil shocks.

I've now ridden the bike over a couple trails around Sydney, Cooma and Thredbo - its an unreal bike. My initial observation was fu*k this thing is long. Pulling it out of the box and placing it next to my large Enduro frame made me think I choose to ride a gate. But after the very first ride the fit felt awesome, everything from cornering, climbing and descents felt way better. I'm 6'2 and between a size large/XL. My large Enduro felt too small so a reach increase of 36mm seemed like a good choice.

The climbing is insane, the way the bike rolls up and accelerates over jagged terrain makes climbing a real joy. I should note that the reduced input from climbing easily offsets the drag induced by the idler pulley.

Cornering is awesome, not exactly sure what makes it feel so good but I suspect it's a combination of a relatively low BB (29mm drop) coupled with limited pedal kick back under compression - feels like it wants to stick.

Rock gardens and rough descents are a blast on this thing. Its not a cloud like feeling, but feels planted and composed. The absence of pedal kickback makes rough descents a whole lot more fun.

On fast open descents the long frame feels great. But when things get slow, especially sitting in the saddle and riding switchbacks requires a bit more concentration and effort. I do wonder how the large frame would feel, could be a better option if one opted for more flow over speed.

Jumping the bike definitely feels different, its hard to get the pop that I'm used to. It feels like the bike gets air by just hitting the lip with speed rather than popping. This could be the shock set up or rearward axel path? On a similar note manualling the bike its freeking hard, I'm yet to get a manual for longer than 2 seconds.

I'll follow up on the ride impressions once I get more time on it. But for now I can say I'm stoked with how the bike handles.

I love the look of that bike and the colour too!

I don't think I could live with zero riser bars considering the height of your dropper, must be some serious leaning forward on that thing!
Aggressive stance for aggressive riding
Always loved low front ends, great for punching around corners and staying low on the bike. Might try some spacers but I suspect its more or less where I want it.
Just realised it has external cable routing...another solid yes. This frame is top of my list right now.
Yeap, the dropper and derailleur are internal though, so still a late night of cursing with the wire down the seat tube.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Yeap, the dropper and derailleur are internal though, so still a late night of cursing with the wire down the seat tube.
Haha, threading it in from the headtube I found the angle the housing came out at the bottom of the seat tube was perfect for it to continue right back up the top tube. Bloody thing.
 
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