History

LAST is a rider owned mountain bike company based in Dortmund, Germany. Since the millenium we develop hardtail and full suspension frames. Based on our riding and professional experience we match geometries that handle well with high performance suspension systems and state of the art mechanical engineering. We strive to build your bike ,reliable and light, for more happy hours on the trail.

It all started with the wish to have a bike with better riding characteristics to make the riding more fun. This was in year 2000 when Jochen Forstmann built the first prototype of the RUFUS dirt jump frame. Since then nothing has changed: The driving force behind all creations is the passion for riding bikes.

Jörg Heydt joined LAST in 2002 and has remained loyal to the company as co-owner until today. Jochen and Jörg know each other from the spots in the Ruhr area and raced together on several mtb series and championchips. Together they developed the first downhill bike from which the later HERB DH emerged.

Since the foundation of LAST the racing idea is deeply rooted in the company.
TARVO

(2020)

The lightest enduro frame. Engineered and manufactured in Germany.

 

With introduction of the TARVO began a whole new era in our history: It weights 2,1 kg – at present the lightest Enduro-frame of the world and made from Carbon fibre, Made in Germany. For the first time, a bike with 160 mm suspension travel is designed as a flex pivot and achieves a progression of 55 percent - 34% from the sag point. With carbon as a material, we can develop a new design language and implement a very clean look - the frame is almost one kilogram lighter than our already light aluminum bikes - bike park ready. The TARVO was tested in the issue 11/2020 of MOUNTAINBIKE with "Outstanding" and achieved a "Super" in BIKE - issue 8/2020.

(2018)

All Around Awesome


With the GLEN (V01) we presented our first 29er Fully. With 140 mm suspension travel at the rear and up to 160 mm at the front it is designed for a wide range of use. In 2019 it got a small update with the MX Link for a 27.5 inch rear wheel - of course retrofittable. The GLEN convinced in several magazine tests in 2019 and 2020 and was voted in the top ten of the bike of the year rating by the MTB-News users. Since the second evolutionary step of CLAY and COAL all LAST aluminum bikes are featuring the TOTAL BEARING QUALITY System.
GLEN
CLAY

CLAY (2017)

Playfull and easy to handle



The CLAY immediately won the trail bike comparison test in Freeride Magazine 03/2017 and shares the frame platform with the former COAL (V1) - by using a different link and rocker we reduced the suspension travel to 140 mm with the same damper installation length. Size specific the actual seat angle varies, so that the efficient seat angle is correct at the respective seat post extension for all sizes

FastForward (2016)

Moving FASTFORWARD on Kickstarter


The FASTFORWARD merges the tradition to build steel hard tails with the love to ride any trail, but fast. Therefore an uncompromising geometry was realized for this 29 inch and 650BPlus compatible enduro bike: A super slack 64 degree head angle allowing committing to berms with confidence and an ultra-short rear for agility. Securing a successful funding within 24 hours, the project continues strong and finishes with more than 150 supporters. To see this niche type of bike being so successful made everyone in the company happy and motivated. Today there are more than 250 FASTFORWARDs in countries all over the world.
FFWD
ICE

ICE (2016)

Hard Tail evolution


The first signature frame by LAST is honored to Hendrik Tafel – team rider since the very early years – and it’s model name ICE is an alternation to his nickname. The ICE frame picks up innovations first shown on the RAFFNIX, RUFUS and CORD models: Integrated chain tensioners, extremely butted wall thickness for top and downtube allowing a design without gussets and the integrated head set. A novelty for dirt bikes are the investment casted dropouts that integrate the chain tensioners and the removable disc brake mount. The choice to use investment casting as manufacturing process allowed to make the dropouts stronger, lighter and smoother joined to the frame structure.

(2015)

Next generation enduro bike


Why is the COAL a next generation bike? Using a new aluminum grade and redesigning every single part from ground up saved more than 20% frame weight. Combined with 27,5 inch wheels, tuned geometry and a refined suspension kinematic this bike raised the performance level significantly. Attention was paid to details such as the cable routing to improve shifting and allow easy access while keeping things tidy. The COAL combines a low stand over with bottle cage compatibility. The chain stays did not grow compared to the 26 inch predecessor - the HERB 160 - to keep the maneuverability high. Winning the comparison test for enduro bikes in World of Mountainbike 05/2016 and receiving “very good” by BIKE 10/2016 confirmed that this bike is very capable.
COAL
HERB

HERB (2014)

The evolution of DH

The HERB DH has been continuously developed and optimized over 12 years. The geometry has become significantly lower, slacker and longer and can be modified since the V5 - the steering angle is 63.5° (+/- 0.5° - depending on the setting). Rocker and link are milled out on the inside and the suspension travel has increased to 204 mm. Every component has been redesigned, making the frame 800 g lighter. The frame shape has proven itself over the years. In terms of durability and performance, everything on the bike is still fully designed for racing use.

TREMONIA (2013)

The Rainbow Stripes


There is nothing more iconographic to racing bikes than the rainbow stripes, found on the World Champion’s jersey. In 2015 Aiko Göhler made his dream come true by winning the 4X World Champs title in Val di Sole. And he made the dream of every bike engineer come true: to see his bike winning the biggest title. Since Aiko joined the LAST racing team in 2013 he raced on the TREMONIA frame. With it’s thin steel tubes the TREMONIA frame stands out from the competition and shows the classic elegance of a steel frame. Modern features and standards are realized in an unobtrusive way, that uses the characteristics of steel in the best way.
TREMONIA
HERB AM

HERB AM (2011)

Fastest trail bike on the Planet


The All-mountain and Freeride bike projects started with designing a suspension system that shares key characteristics with the HERB Downhill bike. This might sound surprising, but all bikes need an efficient kinematic system – even downhill bikes. Keeping the system progressive, changing position of shock and linkage plus realizing a straight seat tube resulted in the HERB FR and HERB AM silhouette. Further ingredients were a solid frame construction and a low and slack geometry: 65,8 degree head angle for the HERB AM. In 2010 DIRT magazine raced their favorite trail bikes against the clock and their conclusion for the HERB AM was: “In terms of descending the LAST is simply the fastest 140 mm trail bike on the planet right now”.

Jörg on the HERB DH (2002)

HERB – the downhill challenge


Jörg Heydt and Jochen Forstmann join forces in 2002 to develop the HERB downhill frame. With the start of the downhill season nearing, it takes three intense months from the first line to a rideable prototype. The challenge of designing a first downhill frame, featuring a unique rocker driven suspension system is mastered with success: Jörg Heydt wins the national downhill series in Masters for two consecutive years. Unsurprising the HERB prototypes become a production model the year after. Therefore the Forstmann and Heydt GbR is established. Carlo Dieckmann becomes the first team rider representing the company alongside the owners. In the following years several national titles (Benny Strasser), the Masters European Championship (Jörg Heydt) and Nordic Championship Titles (Anita Ager-Wick, Isaak Levisson) are won on the HERB.
Jörg Heydt
RUFUS

RUFUS

Established in 2000


With 8 years of downhill racing in the bag, Jochen Forstmann quits downhill racing and starts to build his first frame. The prototype is a pure trails frame: minimalistic design and highest grade Reynolds 853 air hardening steel tube set. Encouraged by the good feedback a first series of frames is released the year after. The journey continues and innovative frame features like the integrated chain tensioners are developed. The local Bochum trails (R.I.P.) get bigger and bigger and they become the perfect local spot and a popular venue for riders from abroad.