Review

LAST Bikes Hardtail Prototype Review

06.10.2015
by

Just a few meters into the ride and we’re already in unison with the philosophy of the guys from LAST: bring back the fun! Everyone at the office immediately had the slogan of issue #17 on their mind when they first saw the bike. Needless to say that we were keen to hit the trails with this steel-framed hardtail.

Das LAST Hardtail 29er – zur Zeit noch ein Prototyp.
The LAST Hardtail 29er will be named FASTFORWARD – here it’s still in the prototype stages.

Not long ago we detailed the breaking news of a 29″ hardtail prototype from LAST (find it here), and now the project named FASTFORWARD has entered the starting blocks for a campaign on Kickstarter. We’ve managed to get our grubby mitts on this steely piece of art for a first ride test.

Der klassisch-zeitlose Look eines Stahlrahmens ...
Even before we’ve ridden it we love the timeless look of its steel frame …
… gepaart mit cleveren Features wie dem Leitungsausgang für die Teleskopsattelstütze begeistern bereits im Stand.
… paired with clever design features such as the cable exit for the dropper post.
Ein weiteres Detail: Die horizontalen Ausfallenden, die früher als Kettenspanner genutzt wurden, dienen hier zur Verstellung des Radstands.
Another detail: The horizontal dropouts, which used to tension the chain, can now adjust the wheelbase.

Created with the same top-end 4130 steel that LAST have acquainted themselves with on their dirt hardtails, the smaller tube diametres should provide more elasticity and therefore comfort when compared to aluminium or carbon frames. Steel’s timeless look is a given.

Viel kürzer hätten die Kettenstreben wirklich nicht sein können!
The chainstays couldn’t be much shorter!
Das Cockpit wurde, passend zur Geometrie, mit einem 35 mm kurzen Vorbau und einem 780 mm breiten Lenker gut gewählt.
In line with the geometry, the cockpit’s 35 mm stem and 780 mm bars are well chosen.

Geometry

The concept for the FASTFORWARD was born at the last Downhill Tage, explain the team from LAST, who vehemently had no intention of creating an XC whippet. The geometry confirms this, as its slack 64° head angle wouldn’t be an obvious choice for a hardtail. With potentially record-breakingly short chainstays for a 29er (adjustable between 426 mm and 436 mm thanks to the horizontal dropouts) and a 425 mm reach (size medium), the resulting wheelbase is 1191 – 1201 mm. Consequently, the big-wheeled hardtail should nail the hallowed middleground between playfulness and precision on corners. The 35 mm stem and the 780 mm KORE bars further heighten the downhill-orientated geometry.

Das Farbschema wird bis hin zur edlen SRAM XX1-Gruppe durchgezogen.
The colourway extends right down to the SRAM XX1 groupset.
Der stabile DT Swiss EX471-Laufradsatz sollte auch ungedämpfte Schläge gut wegstecken können.
The stable DT Swiss EX471 wheelset should be capable of packing some punches.
SRAM Guide RSC-Bremsen sollen das 29er stoppen.
SRAM Guide RSC brakes bring the 29er to a halt.
Eine RockShox PIKE mit 140 mm rundet den Look des Prototyps ab und unterstreicht klar den Anspruch des neuen Hardtails.
140 mm RockShox PIKE forks round off the prototype and highlight what the FASTFORWARD will be capable of.

The Spec

The LAST hardtail’s spec reads like the ultimate must-have list; kicking off with the brilliant SRAM XX1 groupset to deliver precise shifting and an ideal and wide gear ratio, while the stable DT Swiss EX471 wheelset should prove their worth at packing away any unwanted punches at the rear. The front’s tried and tested RockShox PIKE fork guarantees a strong performance, perfectly complementing the all-black machine. A dropper post naturally features, and LAST went for the ultimate RockShox Reverb Stealth. SRAM Guide RSC brakes take care of braking from their home on the KORE cockpit. Despite the steel frame, the weight has been kept to a minimum, clocking in at a mere 12.4 kg.

Das Hardtail klettert super! Lediglich der harte Sattel begrenzt die Freude an holprigen Anstiegen.
The hardtail climbs brilliantly, although the hard saddle isn’t perhaps not suited to every posterior or every bump.

On the Uphills

Of course, the rear doesn’t bite into the ground as you’re climbing, that’s a given and there’s less traction than a fully. But even the downhill-orientated geometry doesn’t give much room for complaint on the climbs. You’re sitting fairly upright as you ride the LAST, and it’s effective and comfortable. Despite the slack head angle, the front never once threatens to lift either. But it’s on the long, technical climbs when the rear end becomes the weakest link. As the uneven ground is only cushioned by the tyres, the ride can be a bit harsh after a while. One solution here could be a more cushioned saddle.

On the Trails

Ist eine Landung vorhanden, ist dem LAST kein Sprung zu groß!
Provided there’s somewhere to land, there ain’t no jump too big for the LAST!

Right from the offset it’s evident that this bike is made for the trails! Flat singletracks or loose ground, it’s immensely fun to ride as the bike takes corners as if on rails and the rigid rear end just loves being pushed hard so wheelies are a goer. On high-speed sections the LAST delivers a mass of control – and we’d forgotten just how much speed you can generate from your legs alone!

Überdurchschnittlich verspielt lässt sich das 29er-Hardtail durch Kurven zirkeln.
The hardtail 29er loves to smash the curves.
Wird es etwas ruppiger, zeigen sich die Nachteile des Hardtails.
Once it gets a little bumpier, the disadvantages of a hardtail are hard to dismiss.

The extreme geometry of the LAST ensures a touch more stability on bumpier ground than a regular hardtail, but it’s still a long way from the level of its full-suspension trailmates. The rear shock is what’s missing; the part that reduces the intensity of bumps and gives the rider traction. Certain well-chosen parts, such as the MAXXIS Minion DHR tyres, do their bit to compensate for the loss of braking traction.

Wem es um möglichst viel Spaß auf dem Trail geht, ist mit dem LAST bestens bedient!
If fun on the trails is your thing then the LAST will serve you well!

Of course, now we’ve strayed from the actual bike review and headed towards the fundamental question: hardtail or fully? The FASTFORWARD is supposed to be fun – and it definitely is! Compared to this 29er, very few bikes can corner with such playfulness. If your hometrails are loose, flat, littered with berms and well-built jumps then this bike will serve you majestically. However, if breaking Strava records is more your thing, or if the slack geometry has prompted you to hope for a ‘do-all enduro’, then you should probably stick to a fully – although they’re naturally more expensive.

Das Hardtail übers Hinterrad fahren? Kein Problem!
Wheelie’ing the hardtail? No problem!

As we’ve mentioned, the FASTFORWARD we’ve been out testing is still a prototype, with and as-yet-unfinalised geometry and spec, although we’ve heard it’s fairly similar to the production model. Now’s your chance to help the team from LAST Bikes so that their hardtail can shred along so many more trails. They’re looking for help to finance the production model with their Kickstarter campaign, which runs until 25.10.2015.

For more information head to: last-bikes.com

Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/FASTFORWARD

Words: Daniel Schlicke Photos: Ross Bell

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