It has been two years since Last discovered carbon fibre as a material. Since then, lightweight construction with maximum practicality has been the top priority for the Dortmund-based mail order company's bikes. Both the record-breaking lightweight enduro bike Tarvo as well as the All Mountain Cinto have already demonstrated this in various BIKE tests (>> Test Last Tarvo / >> Test Last Cinto). The latest members of Last's carbon fibre clique go by the names Celos and Asco.
With just 120 millimetres of suspension travel and progressive geometry, the Last Celos is aimed at sporty trail bikers. Down Country - that's what the cross between a trail and marathon bike is called in modern parlance. The design is strongly orientated towards its higher-travel siblings, the Cinto and Tarvo.
However, the Dortmund-based company has completely revised the rear triangle and the layup for the new range of use. The frame saves another 310 grams compared to the Cinto. The carbon lightweight construction experts from All Ahead Composites in Würzburg are responsible for laminating the 1.79-kilogram frame.
The facts about the Last Celos
- Full carbon frame
- 29-inch wheels
- 120 millimetre spring travel
- Weight: from 9.9 kilos according to the manufacturer
- Base price: 6999 Euro
- Frame price: 4399 Euro
- Limited to 100 units per year
- Colours: metallic matt grey, metallic matt green, metallic matt pink, metallic matt blue and raw carbon
Lightweight construction, workmanship and practical value harmoniously combined
The low weight does not deprive the two new Last mountain bikes of their licence to shred. The frame fulfils all the requirements of test category 4 and can even theoretically cope with most bike park trails. The bike also gives the impression that workmanship and utility value do not suffer from the lightweight construction.
The chainstay on the drive side is lined with a generous rubber guard to prevent chain slap. A rock guard made of carbon fibre laminate sticks to the down tube, which is pulled far upwards and has an additional cushioning foam underlay to take the fear out of stone impacts.
Aesthetes will also enjoy the attention to detail: the internally routed cables and the option of a storage compartment in the down tube for a tube and pump look very well thought out. The only downside: if you opt for the storage compartment in the down tube, you'll have to accept a 300 gram weight penalty for a thicker carbon layup.
The engineers customise the geometry for each frame size. The chainstay length, seat angle and bottom bracket height vary depending on the size. The biggest change is in the chainstays: they are between 430 and 443 millimetres. The 66.2 degree steering angle promises a lot of directional stability on fast descents.
Also new from Last: Trailbike Asco
The second innovation from Last is the Asco trail bike. The key data: 29-inch wheels and 140 millimetres of suspension travel at the front and 130 at the rear. This means that the Dortmund-based mail-order company now has the right carbon fully for all suspension travel classes up to 180 millimetres.
The Asco takes its frame from its sportier counterpart from the down-country corner. The only difference between the two bikes is the shock with five millimetres more travel and the longer fork. Based on the super-light carbon chassis, the configurator enables builds with a total weight from 10.5 kilos without pedals. This is record-breaking in the trail bike segment.
To make it easier for customers to choose the right size for both models, Last has named the respective frame sizes according to the typical rider height of 170, 180, 190 and 200 centimetres. The size-specific geometry is also retained on the Asco. The option for a storage compartment in exchange for 300 grams more frame weight is also available here. In addition, the stronger layup, also known as Superduty, allows the installation of a longer 150 mm fork.
The geometry of the Last Asco is correspondingly flatter due to the longer forks, the exact manufacturer's specifications can be found in the table below. As with the Celos down-country bike, Last is limiting the number of units to 100 per year. The first Celos and Asco models should be available from October 2022.
The facts about the Last Asco
- Full carbon frame
- 29 inch wheels
- 130/140 millimetre spring travel
- Weight: from 10.5 kilos according to the manufacturer
- Base price: 6699 Euro
- Frame price: 4399 Euro
- Limited to 100 units per year
- Colours: metallic matt grey, metallic matt green, metallic matt pink, metallic matt blue and raw carbon
Max Fuchs
Editor
