Last bikes is a resourceful German mountain bike brand, with deep downhill and engineering roots.
Founders, Jochen Forstmann and Jörg Heydt, were both committed gravity racers in the 1990s. T
Forstmann has a doctorate in mechanical engineering and its shows in the technical specification of Last bikes. There is also an obsession with purity of production, as Last attempts to localise its carbon-fibre fabrication and finishing.
The brand’s latest enduro bike might be pricey, but it delivers some astonishing numbers.
Based in Dortmund, Last engineers, prototypes and produces its carbon-fibre frames in Germany, aiming to deliver ethical enduro carbon bikes to market.
Its latest creation is the Tarvo: an uncompromised carbon-fibre enduro frameset, rolling 29er wheels and linking an impressive 160mm of rear shock suspension travel. Riders who wish to experiment with an MX (mixed wheelsize) option, can boost the rear travel by an additional 10mm, whilst rolling a 27.5-inch wheel.
Using its own technicians to layer and join the Tarvo frame in custom moulds, Last has been able to produce an incredibly lightweight frame, at only 2.08kg. That is a remarkable number for a 160mm enduro-appropriate frameset, certified for extreme jumping and bike park riding.
Geometry numbers are on-trend, for a 160mm enduro bike. The 64-degree head angle should keep riders in a confidently weighted position, on steep descents.
As one would expect from a boutique carbon frame fabricator, Last’s Tarvo has a treasure of clever frame design features. Internal cable routing has Bowden guides, to prevent the annoyance of rattling, and there is an integrated frame stowage compartment
The Tarvo’s rear triangle is pivotless, reducing the maintenance burden and weight of additional bearings, and there is an inbound post-mounted disc brake, actuating the rear-axle.
Last is offering the Tarvo in four frame sizes, which are classed to specific rider heights in millimetres: 165, 175, 185 and 195.
Reflecting the Tarvo’s overengineered nature, it is being marketed at a premium price, with a frameset costing €3,599. Custom builds start at €5,799, delivering a Tarvo which weighs only 12.4kg.
