First Look: Deviate Claymore High Pivot Enduro Bike
Deviate have been making high pivots since before they were cool. Or at least, before they were everywhere. They've been designing them since 2016, and their gearbox-equipped Deviate Guide was one of my first tastes of a pedal-able high-pivot bike. So while high-pivot bikes are hardly novel these days, Deviate says "Our extensive experience designing nothing but high pivots means we can confidently claim that our system is the most robust and well-engineered out there." Big words.
Today they're launching a high-pivot enduro bike, this time with a derailleur. It's called the Claymore, named after the monstrous two-handed swords once used in the Scottish Highlands, where Deviate are based. It offers 165 mm of rear-wheel travel, 29" wheels and is built around a 170 mm fork.
Suspension design
When Deviate says 165 mm of travel, they mean 165 mm in the vertical direction. The rear axle also moves backwards by about 21 mm over its travel, lengthening the rear centre and (in theory) helping it to suck up large bumps without pushing up the frame as much or as fast.
The axle path is rearward through almost all the travel, with only a millimetre or two of forward movement near bottom-out. This is a true high-pivot, not a "high-ish" pivot design that has become popular lately.
Anti-squat is relatively consistent throughout the travel, which should help resist slouching even on steep climbs. Anti-rise levels are very high, so it will stay deeper in its travel under braking.
The leverage curve is fairly linear through the middle of the travel but gets progressive towards the end.
The 18-tooth idler pulley is connected to the swingarm in such a way as to keep the anti-squat around 110% at sag, according to Deviate's calculations, which should keep it from bobbing or slouching on the climbs. Being a high single pivot, the anti-rise level (the effect of the braking force on the suspension) starts high and drops off throughout the travel. This will minimise brake dive but may make the rear suspension firmer in some scenarios.
The leverage over the shock decreases throughout the travel from 2.95 to 2.3. That makes it 22% progressive. Most of the resulting ramp-up in the force at the back wheel happens towards the end of the stroke, which should suit coil shocks.
The leverage over the shock decreases throughout the travel from 2.95 to 2.3. That makes it 22% progressive. Most of the resulting ramp-up in the force at the back wheel happens towards the end of the stroke, which should suit coil shocks.
The Details
The frame is a full carbon affair, with cable routing running through the rear triangle but bolted onto the underside of the top tube in a cable channel. Personally, I'd rather the cables ran externally to the rear triangle too, but that's just my opinion.
The shock is driven by a short link that pivots around the bottom bracket and is pulled from below by the main triangle.
Deviate emphasise the durability of the frame, with a Lifetime Warranty & Crash/damage replacement policy; twin-lip wiper seals and Enduro bearings throughout; grease ports on all pivots and the idler, and frame protection including a bolt-on carbon downtube protector and bonded rubber chainstay protector.
There are not one but two accessory mounting points under the top tube, as well as space for a water bottle on the down tube.
The Geometry
As a dedicated 29er, there is no size small, just a medium, large and XL. The suspension and most of the geometry numbers have a general resemblance to the Forbidden Dreadnought, but while the Forbidden has size-specific chainstays, the Deviate uses 441 mm stays throughout the size range. For tall riders, this will result in a smaller back-end on the Deviate than the Dreadnought, but remember the chainstay length will grow by about 15 mm at sag, so this is still a bike with a very long rear-centre.
Pricing and Specs
For now, the Claymore is available as a frame only, with either an Ohlins TTX22m.2 coil shock or a Fox Factory X2 air shock. Prices start at $3,200 USD / £3,000 GBP (including VAT).
For more information check out deviatecycles.com.
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Stuck a 2* works in my druid.
A good example is how import duties have screwed Commencal prices in the UK (f*ck brexit). I bought a Privateer instead but would never claim "Commencal is expensive". They're great value, just not here.
You can get a Specialized Enduro frame for 2900, this is only $300 more and it looks (in my opinion) way better.
This is a beautiful looking bike, and if it rides anything like the Highlander you'll have a winner. Wish I could get a ride on one.
Looking forward to seeing the ride reviews!
Big jump between medium and large eh?
Luckily for me a lot of brands have settled on that for their large frames at the mo.
@IMeasureStuff:
Yeah I wouldn’t know how to figure it out either haha
Eliminate that feeling of drag
When it worked, it was fast AF (qualified for the EWS on it), but I just couldn't count on it to actually work.
There are three bolts holding the idler spider, those out and idler is off. Linkage is bit more involving to service, but nothing extraordinary, good instructions available at Deviate webpage. I just replaced the rear swing and serviced the linkage (cleanup and new seals) took few hours total. BTW all bearing are still original and in perfect condition after about 4500km.
The linkage is slick but a pain to remove and service. The design is very cool but it never performed "better" IMO. My SC Nomad, and Banshee Titan are much better in rough and chunky terrain, albeit slightly more travel.
Bike did pedal well though, just not what I needed out of a HP design.