Last Coal 2018

Last Bikes Refresh Coal for 2018

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We’ve previously looked at the first Last Coal, a 160mm aluminium enduro bike which is also now the last Last Coal – as in previous, not as in final. Now they have an updated Last Coal, which is the second Last Coal (thanks for being confusing to everyone, English language!).

The headlines for the new one are: Longer toptubes (+5 mm reach for size L, +10 mm for size XL), shorter seat tubes increasing standover and making room for longer travel droppers, and shorter head tubes on the smaller sizes. The weight remains identical at 2.89Kg for the frame. Frame only options are €1599 without shock.

The main thing they’re stressing is the precision machining they do on all the bearing surfaces, with the aim of their bikes spending more time on the trail and less time in the workshop. They’ve also made the axle nut replaceable, so if you ham-fistedly strip the threads or something, you’ll be able to keep the frame running rather than replacing the entire rear triangle.

Last only sell direct, so if you want this, or just want to find out more, you should head over to them, but read on to see plenty of pictures of the new Coal. If you like nothing more than to watch a bit of high tech 5-axis milling though, this video is for you:

(No video? Try this link).

Last Coal 2018
They’ve lowered the standover on the new frames. This is a large; the smaller sizes don’t have seat-mast braces.

 

Last Coal 2018
This is the XL frame.
Last Coal 2018
As well as black and blue, it comes in this metallic blood red.
Last Coal 2018
The finish quality does appear to be high.
Last Coal 2018
We’re suckers for machining marks.
Last Coal 2018
Not to mention the swarf that comes off them!
Last Coal 2018
There are four complete bike builds, ranging from €2999 to €5499, with weights ranging from 12.8Kg to 13.7Kg.
Last Coal 2018
All of the complete builds are based around RockShox suspension front and back.
Last Coal 2018
Smaller head tubes reduce stack height for the small size frame.
Last Coal 2018
The highest end build comes with SRAM XO Eagle, the remaining three GX Eagle.
Last Coal 2018
Interlude before Last take us into the machine shop.

 

Last Coal 2018
Each rear triangle is laid up for precision machining of the bearing surfaces.
Last Coal 2018
Mmm, smoky metal.
Last Coal 2018
No wigglers here.
Last Coal 2018
Last use stainless steel bearings supplied by Enduro Bearings.
Last Coal 2018
Don’t worry Americans, that’s just coolant and the bearings aren’t in yet.
Last Coal 2018
Having a workshop lit this moodily seems like a safety issue.
Last Coal 2018
Rule 39c: If you’re going to be lit this dramatically you must also carry a whip, rapier, or other melee weapon suited to swashbuckling.

About LAST
“LAST is a rider-owned bike company from Germany based in the Ruhr area. Led by Jörg Heydt and Jochen Forstmann – both active mountain bikers with long-standing race experience – production and distribution of high-grade frames for mountain bikes started in 2000. The line-up ranges from hardtail and full suspension frames to complete bikes of di erent equipment options that can be individually customized. LAST is a house-to-house distributor and o ers their customers direct contact with the manufacturer so that there are outstanding possibilities for advice and prompt and competent direct service if need be. For years now, LAST has been present at all major biking events in Germany and successfully participates in national and interna- tional competitions with a racing team. In 2015 LAST team rider Aiko Göhler won the 4X-World Championships riding the TREMONIA frame. After a succesful Kickstarter campaign, LAST realized the FASTFORWARD enduro hard tail in 2016. In the same year the next generation enduro full suspension – the COAL – was introduced and com- plemented by the CLAY in 2017. Both got fantastic reviews and several test wins.”

 

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David started mountain biking in the 90’s, by which he means “Ineptly jumping a Saracen Kili Racer off anything available in a nearby industrial estate”. After growing up and living in some extremely flat places, David moved to Yorkshire specifically for the mountain biking. This felt like a horrible mistake at first, because the hills are so steep, but you get used to them pretty quickly. Previously, David trifled with road and BMX, but mountain bikes always won. He’s most at peace battering down a rough trail, quietly fixing everything that does to a bike, or trying to figure out if that one click of compression damping has made things marginally better or worse. The inept jumping continues to this day.

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