[Closed] 140mm - 150mm FS 29". Deviate Highlander, Occam, what else should I consider?

Very taken with what I’ve read on the Highlander, but less so with the price. It’s definitely a contender though. Has anyone on here ridden one?

Yep, bought one. I’m totally sold on high pivots with an idler. Feels like bottomless suspension travel, but then climbs pretty well too. Anything specific you want to know?

the ones i've been considering have been pace rc295 / hope sb130 / SC tallboy (/hightower)

i opted occam due to the m10 kit + reasonable priced fox36 upgrade.

the deviate looks lovely, hadnt realised the frame only was that kind of price, i was expecting another K on top.

Thanks Tom, the suspension does sound great. No issues with the idler yet? I read in one review about a sticky wheel which has made me worry about reliability. Did you try any other bikes before going for the Highlander?

Ah, hadn't heard of the Pace, will check that out too...

Bird? AM9 should match the brief.

deviate highlander does look cool. defo check out the santa cruz hightower too, really solid bike.

If downhill capability is the focus, I'd add a RocketMAX to the list.

(Caveat. In true STW fashion it's what I have)

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Classic 'reccomend your own' but I am in love with my 2020 Hightower. Bought an alloy frame only as I think thats the sweet spot - Carbon is a LOT more, and the SC builds are pretty awful VFM.

The Alloy frame however is right in line with lots of the other options (Cheaper than an Orange Stage 5, for instance) but you get the same quality, same lifetime bearings, warranty etc.

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My last FS was a Tallboy Gen 1, which I lovvvvved, so will have a look at the Hightower.

Ditto the Bird. Pricing looks very competitive on those too...

It does take a bit of time to free up (that goes for the frame bearings too), maybe a couple of rides but I don’t notice it now.

I’m really not worried about the reliability, I’ve had a Guide for 2 years with no problems, and even if I did, spares seem readily available.

Didn’t try anything else, had a demo based on how good the Guide is, and this is more suited to trail riding (vs the winch and plummet of the Guide) so was a no brainer.

Forbidden druid?

I had lots of issues with the demo bike I had, very stiff linkages and stiff idler wheel.

Been told

after some investigating they found some issues with demo bikes (and a few other bikes) due to the sealing and bearing pre-load configuration.

Starling Murmur.
You can thank me later.

I'm looking at demoing the Highlander as being sent up to that part of the world by work next month. Be interesting to see how it rides. I'm a similar boat bike wise, I think a 29er trail bike might be more suited to what I ride, but I'm on the cusp height wise for the wagon wheels, my hardtail is ok but full suss worries me a bit. Also thinking about a Banshee prime, which you can mullet, but finding a demo of one is a nightmare.

Depending on my mood:

Druid - If I felt like taking a risk & potentially being shafted on warranty or spares. Ditto the new Sentinel.

Hightower - Safe choice, good support, rides really well. Ideal one bike solution.

Fuel EX - Ford Mondeo. Boring, very safe - great bike, but not exactly inspiring.

The Murmur is beautiful, had completely forgotten about that.

Hobnob - that's a good summary. Can see myself ending up with a Fuel and having mild buyer's regret I hadn't got something more niche.

I’m toying with something similar. The 2 other not on your list I want to try if possible are the forbidden Druid and the evil offering

I'd be looking at the starling too.

But I like my orange stage 6 too much to change it.

Worth a demo on an orange if they are of interest at all, the new ones are light and very fast with great geometry.

The Pipedream full Moxie is another one from a small brand .

I've also got a Highlander and truly, it is the best bike I've ridden. I've tried my fair share, but the combination of travel, geometry and the high pivot is spot on for me.

It is happy in the steeps as well as comfortable for a full days peddling.

As for warranty, I had a Guide off the Deviate guys, it developed a couple issues but Ben was spot on and provided exceptional support. Fully recommended.

This is mine:

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I'd go for an HB.130 with a 140mm 36 and coil rear.

Another recommend what you ride. I'm in the Deviate camp as well. Been riding a highlander for a couple of months. Absolute weapon of a bike. I have coil both ends though which just makes the bike feel so good. But the X2 I had on before was not bad in any way.

It climbs so well, no need for lockout, then point it down. Its a very tight bike in that you know its 140mm at the back but it still handles everything with aplomb. I'm riding Dunkeld /Pitlochry / Ballo all the time and I never feel I'm out my depth.

Bruneep the demo bike you had. Was that one of the ones that was up Ballater way? My mate lives up there and had one for a couple of days. He wasn't that impressed but then had a play on mine which he said felt very different in a good way. Not sure if ben at deviate is taking care off the demo bikes as well as he should.

But I honestly can't recommend the highlander enough as a trail / enduro bike.

Geometron G13? Yeti SB130?

I have a Forbidden Druid.  It's a great bike and I love it compared to my RipmoV1.

It's fantastic on rough trails with lots of repeat hits.

It does however have a minimum speed and if you're using the back brake it definitely reduces the effectiveness of the suspension (it's my first single pivot bike in a while so this is very noticeable to me).  This is happens especially  on really steep sections unsurprisingly.  I can almost feel the bike going "get off the brakes you fool".

I have a 2020 Orange Stage 5. It is very good.

Bruneep the demo bike you had. Was that one of the ones that was up Ballater way

I'm guessing it would be.

Jeffsy?

Yeah, the Orange Stage is another I should consider for sure.

Good feedback on the Highlander, I clearly need to get a go on one of the working demo bikes.

Has anyone ridden a Murmur to compare it any of the other bikes?

I like the look of the highlander, but isnt the idler wheel just another thing to do your head in on a muddy british ride?

Another recommend what you own:

Admittedly not the most on trend brand in the world but its a seriously good value, capable bike.

I like the look of the highlander, but isnt the idler wheel just another thing to do your head in on a muddy british ride?

I can't get past the idea of my shorts getting caught and dragging me inexorably to my doom like a 70s sales rep being pulled into a shredder by his paisley tie.

Bird AM9 or Aeris 9? The latter recently released in carbon but a ally one is in the pipeline from what I read on here.

I like the look of the highlander, but isnt the idler wheel just another thing to do your head in on a muddy british ride?

That idler concept - not so sure - must be under a hell of a lot of sheer force and it has to introduce a lot more inefficiency to the drivetrain surely.

Nice looking bike otherwise. I too am looking for my first new fs in about 10 years. I don't think I'm going to be able to justify more than Bird money though.

Another vote for the Bird AM9, as usual

Occam is more a trail bike I think, compared to things like AM9 which are more enduro?

https://enduro-mtb.com/en/orbea-occam-m-ltd-2020-review/
https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/orbea-occam-m10-2020-review-one-bike-many-purposes/

Stick a 150mm fork and a coil shock on the occam and its a capable enduro bike.

Forbidden have a longer travel bike in the works, but tbh the 130mm of the druid would be enough for most.

I'll take one in cosmic eggplant. Yum.

If we're doing normal STW rules, then my own Jeffsy is also a very capable mini-enduro bike.

29er, 150mm front and rear, fox 36 and (as of today) a Cane Creek DBcoil IL
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I've got a Murmur, but not ridden the other bikes.
G13 OR G1 in any configuration you like

Highlander looks lovely. Not ridden outside the car park. Occam is lovely and I can answer questions / offer advice if you like. Just drop me a mail, loads of people do and to be honest it’s all pretty quiet now so I have plenty of time to answer.

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Seems like we're all recommending what we have.

Depending on where you decide travel wise, Ripmo v2 carbon Deore build? 2Pure are shit at updating the UK site, but if they follow the US spec(as has happened with the AF) it should be around 4.5k, and gets you DVO Topaz(or Jade coil for £100 more), DVO Onyx, rebranded Stan's wheelset, 4 pot Shimanos, and 12sp Deore.
Or the same in alloy (gaining about 2lb) can be had for under 3k.

How about a Whyte S150

Just sold mine and bought an Orbea Rallon and kind of wish I'd kept it now.

Yeah, I’m looking at Whytes too. Though I’ve read the frame designs are getting updated in 6 months and I know I’d be moody if the new one turned out to be the promised land of MTBs...

This was me a couple months ago. I had a Highlander for a long weekend. The yellow/orange demo one, which is old frame design (new one is lighter and better cable routing). If demoing, ask for the blue one 🙂

It was the best bike i have ever ridden downhill, better than my Nomad was.

It was a heavy build with Assegi tyres so wasnt great climbing but gave immediate confidence and matched my pb on a medium hard trail i have ridden 30 + times.

However i ended up buying a HB130. Why? I wanted something a bit more "trail", better on the ups although the highlander was better going down, felt the Hope was a better all round bike. I did put more travel on the fork though and beefed up the tyres....

The others I considered were:

Hightower - just didnt feel right
Sentinel - mate has one so nope!
Am 9 - sorry, just not "special" enough at this price point
Radon slide 29 - bought a Canyon before and didnt want the bike in a box thing again.

If you want an enduro bike thats different, got a small but passionate team behind it and which will smash the downs and can put up with not being the best on red/blue trails or big ups get a Highlander.

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