The Highlander II is our all-carbon trail bike, now available in a fresh range of colours inspired by our Scottish heritage and equipped with full UDH compatibility. This versatile bike is designed for everything from bike park laps, all day rides, weekend enduros and everything in between. We've enhanced what we believe is the best high-pivot trail bike on the market, and made it better. Featuring a 65-degree head angle with a 160mm fork for agility and stability on challenging, steep trails. With a perfect reach for climbing, comfort and ample room for controlled descending, the Highlander II offers enormous standover clearance and accommodates the longest dropper posts available. The Highlander II is truly suited to any trail, any time.
We remain committed to delivering unmatched reliability, reinforcing our dedication with a Lifetime Frame Warranty and Crash Replacement Programme. The Highlander II is ready for any trail, any time.
High Pivot Point Suspension Design
The Claymore uses a high, single pivot point in its rear suspension system. This design results in a rearward axle path, allowing the rear wheel to move proportionally rearward upon impact therefore maintaining forward momentum.
In short, it gives speed and confidence over rough terrain, unmatched by bikes with more rear wheel travel.
We have tested the position of the HPP and idler, basing this on numeric modelling and iterative testing to identify the optimum position to balance anti-rise with the benefits of the rearward-axle path.
Our linkage is meticulously crafted to provide a progressive leverage curve, catering to the needs of aggressive riders whilst offering compatibility with both high volume air shocks and coil shocks.
Careful idler placement ensures optimal suspension performance, with a +100% anti-squat curve controlled by the idler position, virtually eliminating pedal kickback and bobbing. This design provides a balanced anti-squat curve, allowing the Highlander II to pedal smoothly through rough terrain whilst maintaining an active suspension.
Grease Port System
We have created a unique solution to reduce the need to replace bearings regularly - the grease ports.
Grease all major pivot and linkage bearings without the need to do any disassembly. The grease ports are designed to keep as much water and dirt out as possible, whilst keeping the grease in. If any water and dirt does come in, they are designed to force this out through the seals.
There are 7 grease ports across the bike: 1 on the idler cover, 1 on the main pivot axle, 5 on the linkage.
OneUp EDC tools
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Deviate was established in Scotland in 2016, founded by Chris Deverson and Ben Jones on a shared belief that better mountain bikes were possible.
Rather than follow established suspension design conventions, the goal from the outset was to challenge accepted thinking and create something genuinely different — to deviate from the norm. The name followed naturally.
In the years that followed, this mindset shaped the early engineering direction of the brand and laid the foundations for the bikes riders know today.
Following the company’s relaunch in 2026, Deviate moves forward under the leadership of Ben Jones, continuing to build on that original spirit of innovation while focusing firmly on the future.
OUR MISSION
A strong partnership formed between complementary strengths: deep engineering curiosity on one side, and commercial drive and organisational focus on the other.
Years spent riding and guiding across some of the most demanding mountain terrain exposed a recurring problem — bikes that simply weren’t built for the realities of sustained hard use. Repeated breakages within guiding fleets and among customers made it clear that something better was needed.
During this period, early exposure to high-pivot gearbox-driven mountain bike designs pointed toward a different direction for suspension performance. The concept, still far from perfected, suggested a path toward greater durability, consistency, and control — ideas that would later shape the technical foundations of Deviate’s earliest development.
In parallel, the operational and commercial groundwork for a new bike company was taking shape. As these strands aligned, the conditions were set for the creation of Deviate: a brand built on challenging accepted thinking and engineering bikes capable of real-world punishment.
OUR HISTORY
Multiple drivetrain concepts were explored — gearbox, derailleur, even shaft drive — alongside fundamental questions around materials and construction. Aluminium was considered, but at the small production volumes of those early days, tooling costs were comparable to carbon moulding.
Carbon therefore became the natural starting point, setting the foundation for the first generation of Deviate frames.
And, finally. After a decade of riding across the UK, the Alps, and New Zealand, Deviate unveiled its first production bike: the Guide.
Distinct from mainstream designs, the Guide explored alternative drivetrain thinking — removing the derailleur through the use of a gearbox and centralising mass to reduce unsprung weight at the rear wheel. A carefully developed linkage kept weight positioned low within the frame, while a high-pivot suspension layout, paired with an idler, delivered a uniquely controlled and capable ride feel.
The result was a bike that stood apart not through appearance alone, but through a clear commitment to durability, composure, and real-world performance.
After the Guide, Deviate began to realise that this setup was too ‘different’ for most riders. The gearbox concept was new, the high-pivot suspension system too. With this, Chris began working on a non-gearbox, high-pivot bike range, namely The Highlander and The Claymore. Shortly after the Claymore launch is was clear that the shift toward more ‘conventional’ bikes paid off. The Claymore was voted Pinkbikes enduro bike of choice in their 2022 enduro test session and not long after, was nominated for the Mountain Bike Of The Year award.
With the foundations established, attention turned to what the next chapter for Deviate could look like. The ambition was clear: create a trail bike that built on the reputation of the Guide while expanding its versatility — long-travel in capability, yet balanced enough for everyday riding. Listening closely to a growing community of riders, the direction began to take shape.
The result was the Highlander.
Echoing the Guide in philosophy, the Highlander retained carbon construction and a refined high-pivot suspension layout with an idler, tuned specifically for trail performance. Most notably, it marked a shift away from the gearbox concept, following extensive back-to-back testing that showed a traditional rear derailleur better suited the fast, agile character the bike was designed to deliver.
The outcome was a trail bike defined by speed, composure, and unmistakable intent — and one that quickly became a cornerstone of the Deviate line-up.