Deviate Claymore First Ride Review #deviate #claymore #theloamwolf

Deviate received high praises for their Highlander high pivot trail/all mountain machine, which has been tearing up trails around the world since its release in 2020. Realizing the potential to boost the descending capabilities of this platform, Deviate set about creating a longer travel enduro version with more aggressive geometry and kinematics – enter the Claymore. We had to get one of these to test as soon as we laid eyes on it, so we were stoked that Deviate managed to squeeze a few days out of the packed schedule for us to test one in the Tweed Valley in Scotland. We came away pretty damn impressed, read on to find out why.

THE DIRT
Out the gate the climbing characteristics are surprisingly pleasant for a long travel, high pivot enduro brawler, with a nicely upright seated position and enough anti squat to reduce the reliance on the lockout lever. It felt a little on the firm side for the slipperiest and chunkiest climbs, where traction began to reduce a touch, but was within a manageable level that didn’t hold my lackluster climbing technique back. The idler didn’t feel to add too much drag for smoother fire road efforts and was quiet when the chain was freshly lubricated. But as the drivetrain dried out and a bit of mud or dirt was thrown into the mix, some noise would enter the equation, especially in the larger cassette cogs. It never felt like a nightmare to climb, but there was a touch more perceived fatigue by the end of a long day – maybe it was just the extra laps I was dying to get in before I had to give it back. Regardless, I’d suggest tire setup and your mid-ride nutrition are going to be bigger factors than the drag added by the idler.

After a setup period that took a bit of going back and forth to obtain the desired balance front to rear, things began to fall into place. The one notion that I couldn’t shake though is the effect on the rear end when braking – the firming of the rear end due to the high levels of brake squat is quite extreme. The outcome of this is not all bad – it makes for a very pleasant and composed steep terrain crusher thanks to the geometry preservation, and when braking hard on smoother terrain the balance that is maintained is appreciated. But the negative side is the discomfort when braking hard through rough terrain. This forces a very deliberate riding style absent of any brake dragging to retain the smooth operation of the rear end, and when ridden correctly it absolutely rips. But if you’re a serial brake dragger and don’t plan to change that, the Claymore is not going to suit you.

When pushing hard through rough terrain (and letting the brakes off) the Claymore really comes alive, delivering a load of traction and composure through big compressions, yet just about retaining enough agility to maneuver through tight terrain. There’s an adequate amount of platform to push off given its rough terrain sensitivity, letting speed be gained effectively through pumping efforts, and there’s enough pop to prevent it being a plow-only machine too. The overall balance of riding traits is seriously impressive as an enduro race machine or day-to-day mountain crusher. The geometry balance no doubt helps here too, with the mid-length rear end that extends deeper into the travel keeping a healthy amount of weight on the front wheel when the bike is loaded hard, yet keeping things relatively nimble when lighter on the bike.

[This is just an exerpt of the written review, the rest can be found on the site.]

Price: £3,599 (frame and Ohlins/Fox shock)
Weight: 6.1 lb / 2.75 kg (frame only, claimed)
Website: https://www.deviatecycles.com/claymore
Review:

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:57 - Bike Specs
1:46 - High Pivot Suspension
2:38 - Anti-rise
3:15 - High Chain Idler
3:53 - Anti-squat
4:15 - Frame details
5:43 - Frame Geometry
7:35 - Pricing
8:02 - Riding
8:52 - Pedaling Characteristics
10:20 - Impressions
13:17 - Final thoughts
13:57 - Subscribe for more!

#deivateclaymore #enduromtb #highpivot #chainidler #enduro #deviatecycles

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