Review: Last Tarvo - A Sub-30-Pound Enduro Bike
The average weight of an enduro bike seems to have crept up over the last few years, thanks in part to longer travel dropper posts, heavier duty tires, and burlier suspension components. Those are all useful advances – I'll take a slight weight penalty to avoid dealing with broken parts or flat tires any day - but they do mean it's not uncommon for bikes to end up weighing 35 pounds or more depending on the frame material and just how burly of a build a rider chooses.
Last are doing their part to put a halt to that trend with the 160mm Tarvo, which they say is the lightest enduro frame in existence. It checks in at 2080 grams, including shock mounting hardware. The carbon frame is made in Germany, and meets the Category 5 ASTM standard, which means that hitting up the bike park won't void the 6-year warranty.
Last are doing their part to put a halt to that trend with the 160mm Tarvo, which they say is the lightest enduro frame in existence. It checks in at 2080 grams, including shock mounting hardware. The carbon frame is made in Germany, and meets the Category 5 ASTM standard, which means that hitting up the bike park won't void the 6-year warranty.
Last Tarvo Details
• Wheel size: 29" (mixed wheel option available)
• Carbon frame
• Travel: 160mm / 170mm fork
• 64-degree head angle
• 438mm chainstays (size 185)
• Sizes: 165, 175, 185, 195
• Weight: 29.7 lb / 13.5 kg (size 185)
• Price: $9,319 USD
• last-bikes.com
• Wheel size: 29" (mixed wheel option available)
• Carbon frame
• Travel: 160mm / 170mm fork
• 64-degree head angle
• 438mm chainstays (size 185)
• Sizes: 165, 175, 185, 195
• Weight: 29.7 lb / 13.5 kg (size 185)
• Price: $9,319 USD
• last-bikes.com
Last offers an à la carte style build program, allowing customers to individually select each component for their dream machine. The Tarvo was launched in 2020, but some unforseen global circumstances meant that it took longer than expected to get one in for review.
It was worth the wait, because the bike that arrived had an especially dreamy build, including Trickstuff's super powerful Maxima brakes, SRAM's XX1 AXS wireless drivetrain, Newman carbon wheels mounted up with a Maxxis Assegai EXO+ tire in the front, and a DoubleDown casing DHRII in the rear. A 170mm RockShox Zeb Ultimate fork and a SuperDeluxe Ultimate air shock take care of suspension duties.
That'll all added up to an impressive light 29.7 lb (13.5 kg) on my scale. Total cost? $9,319 USD. Last don't currently sell to North America, though, so potential buyers in America or Canada will need to add on the price of a plane ticket to pick one up.
 | That sense of being propelled down the trail is great on smoother, more rolling terrain - in sections where bigger bikes can feel bogged down the Tarvo felt like it was surging ahead, eager to get around the next corner. |
Frame Details
The Tarvo's carbon frame looks absolutely stunning in person. There aren't any strange shapes or awkward bends to be seen, and way the top tube line matches up with the seatstays is especially pleasing to the eye. The same goes for the bend in the seatstay where it curves around the rear brake caliper. Even the carbon fiber downtube protector looks gorgeous. Okay, maybe the seat tube could be a little shorter, but that's more of a geometry nitpick than anything to do with the quality of the frame itself.
Two powerful magnets hold the lid of the downtube storage compartment in place.
It used to be that the ability to hold a water bottle inside the front triangle was noteworthy (the Tarvo has that covered), but now the focus has shifted to secret storage compartments inside frames. The Tarvo has that too, with a design that uses a really strong magnet to keep the door in place. It takes a little bit of practice to get the hang of opening and closing the hatch, but there's plenty of room in the downtube for a tube, snacks, and a small pump or CO2 inflator.
Other details include SRAM's universal derailleur hanger, internally routed cables via tubes that are molded into the frame, and a threaded bottom bracket.
For riders interested in going the mixed-wheel route, Last offer an MX rocker link that gives the bike 170mm of rear travel and helps maintain a similar bottom bracket height with the 27.5" rear wheel. Another possibility is purchasing the rocker link for the Cinto, which would reduce the rear travel to 145mm to create more of an all-mountain machine. The links are priced at 399 Euro.
There aren't any pivots to be seen here - the Tarvo relies on flexstays to allow it to go through its 160mm of travel.
How about that carbon downtube protector?
Geometry & Sizing
The Tarvo is available in five sizes, each one designated by the height in centimeters of the riders it's intended for. That means riders choose from 165, 175, 185, and 195 options instead of the typical S, M, L, XL. I'm 180 centimeters tall, so I went with the 185 version, which has a 485mm reach and 438mm chainstays.
All sizes have a 64° head tube angle. That head angle was calculated with a RockShox Lyrik - with the 170mm Zeb my test bike had it gets a little slacker, dropping to 63.7°. The chainstay lengths vary depending on the frame size, starting at 430mm on the size 165 and going all the way up to 444mm on the 195. Seat tube angles hover around 76-degrees, and in a nice touch they get steeper with the larger sizes in order to ensure taller riders don't end up too far over the back of the bike.
The 455mm seat tube on the 185 is on the longer side, at least compared with the direction that geometry is going. Luckily, I was just able to run the 213mm BikeYoke dropper that the bike was equipped with since I have fairly long legs for my height. Some riders may end up being limited to shorter travel options due to the seat tube length.
Suspension Design
One of the ways that Last kept the weight down on the Tarvo was by eliminating any pivots on the swingarm and going with a flexstay system instead. Flexstays aren't typically seen in this travel bracket - they're much more common on shorter travel cross-country and trail bikes. The seatstays are designed to flex slightly as the bike goes through its travel, and Last went with a kinematic that meant the amount of actual flex required is fairly minimal.
The Tarvo has a very progressive leverage ratio of 36%, which allows it to work with both air and coil shocks. That percentage is on the higher side of things – for reference, the 160mm travel Orbea Rallon's ratio is 24%, the Transition Spire is 22%, and the 170mm YT Capra is 32.8%.
The Tarvo's anti-squat values vary depending on the frame size, but all of the sizes have the same value at sag, which is 106%. That number decreases as the bike goes through its travel, although not that drastically – it never dips below 85%.
| Specifications | ||
| Price | $9319 | |
| Travel | 160mm | |
| Rear Shock | RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate | |
| Fork | RockShox Zeb Ultimate | |
| Cassette | SRAM XX1 12-speed | |
| Crankarms | SRAM XX1 175mm | |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM Dub | |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM XX1 AXS | |
| Chain | SRAM XX1 12-speed | |
| Shifter Pods | SRAM XX1 AXS | |
| Handlebar | Newmen Advanced - 25 x 800 | |
| Stem | Newmen 40mm | |
| Grips | Ergon GE 10 EVO | |
| Brakes | Trickstuff Maxima | |
| Wheelset | Newmen Advanced SL A.30 | |
| Hubs | Newmen | |
| Tires | Maxxis Assegai 2.5" EXO+ / DHR II 2.4" DD | |
| Seat | Ergon SM Enduro | |
| Seatpost | BikeYoke Revive 213mm | |
Test Bike Setup
The Tarvo's build kit leaves little to be desired, and I only made a few small tweaks to suit my personal preferences. I ended up swapping the Ergon SM Enduro saddle out for the same model in a wider width - my sit bones get along better with the 148mm width instead of the 135mm version. The Newmen handlebars measured 780mm and were paired with a 40mm stem, so I didn't need to change anything there.
As far as suspension goes, I did a fair bit of experimenting before settling on the following for my 160 lb weight (all clicks from full closed):
RockShox Zeb Ultimate: 54 psi, no tokens. LSC: 15, HSC: 4. Rebound: 9.
RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate: 164 psi (30% sag). LSC: 9. Rebound:6.
Testing took place in Bellingham, Washington during the transition period from winter to spring, and from mud to magical dirt.
Mike Kazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 39
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 39
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Climbing
On longer travel bikes, seat tube angles seem to have settled somewhere around the 77-78-degree range. The Tarvo's 76-degree angle is a touch slacker than what's starting to become the norm in this travel bracket, but I was able to move the saddle forward to get a comfortable position. After all, that's what those rails are for. Once that was done the seat climbing position worked well for me, and I didn't experience any discomfort on multi-hour rides.
I'm not going to spew any hyperbole about how this lightweight machine climbs like a cross-country bike, because it doesn't. Even with a sub-30 pound weight it's still fairly long and slack, and it has beefy tires that aren't exactly known for their low rolling resistance. Honestly, I found the lack of heft while climbing to be most noticeable during the first few hundred yards of a ride, and then I'd forget about it as my attention turned to other things, like the trail in front of me. However, the Tarvo's ligher weight does make it easier to toss over a shoulder during hike-a-bike sections, and if I had to choose between a relatively light bike and a heavy one before embarking on an all-day adventure I'd pick the lighter option.
The suspension remains fairly calm during seated climbing, but standing up out of the saddle does result in a fair amount of movement due to the change in the center of gravity and the supple initial portion of the shock's stroke. That movement can be reduced by adding a couple clicks of low speed compression, or there's also a lock-out lever that eliminates almost all shock movement. Overall, it's not quite as efficient feeling as the Orbea Rallon, even though both bikes have manners that make them easy to live with on rides that involve big climbs to get to the goods.
There's plenty of traction for getting up greasy, slimy sections of trail, and when speeds slow down the Tarvo still remains pretty manageable. I'd put it into the 'neutral' category when it comes to tighter, more technical climbs – the Tarvo is a mild mannered machine that gets the job done without much fuss.
![photo]()
On longer travel bikes, seat tube angles seem to have settled somewhere around the 77-78-degree range. The Tarvo's 76-degree angle is a touch slacker than what's starting to become the norm in this travel bracket, but I was able to move the saddle forward to get a comfortable position. After all, that's what those rails are for. Once that was done the seat climbing position worked well for me, and I didn't experience any discomfort on multi-hour rides.
I'm not going to spew any hyperbole about how this lightweight machine climbs like a cross-country bike, because it doesn't. Even with a sub-30 pound weight it's still fairly long and slack, and it has beefy tires that aren't exactly known for their low rolling resistance. Honestly, I found the lack of heft while climbing to be most noticeable during the first few hundred yards of a ride, and then I'd forget about it as my attention turned to other things, like the trail in front of me. However, the Tarvo's ligher weight does make it easier to toss over a shoulder during hike-a-bike sections, and if I had to choose between a relatively light bike and a heavy one before embarking on an all-day adventure I'd pick the lighter option.
The suspension remains fairly calm during seated climbing, but standing up out of the saddle does result in a fair amount of movement due to the change in the center of gravity and the supple initial portion of the shock's stroke. That movement can be reduced by adding a couple clicks of low speed compression, or there's also a lock-out lever that eliminates almost all shock movement. Overall, it's not quite as efficient feeling as the Orbea Rallon, even though both bikes have manners that make them easy to live with on rides that involve big climbs to get to the goods.
There's plenty of traction for getting up greasy, slimy sections of trail, and when speeds slow down the Tarvo still remains pretty manageable. I'd put it into the 'neutral' category when it comes to tighter, more technical climbs – the Tarvo is a mild mannered machine that gets the job done without much fuss.
Descending
It's on the descents where things get interesting aboard the Tarvo. On some bikes, I'm able to set up the suspension, hop on, and feel comfortable right away, with barely any need to touch a dial for the rest of the test period. That wasn't exactly the case with the Tarvo.
Ever see those videos of the guys that get fancy new Lamborghinis and then immediately wrap them around a telephone pole because they went all gas, no brakes? I had that feeling a few times aboard the Tarvo – there were moments when it felt like it was trying to escape from underneath me. In certain situations, typically at medium speeds when there were multiple impacts in a row, it felt like it wanted to leap forward, and I had to make a conscious effort to rein it in and stay centered over the bike. By the end of the test period I felt more at home, but it's worth mentioning that this isn't the absolute easiest bike to get accustomed to, or at least it wasn't for me.
The high level of progression may play a part here – the Tarvo doesn't give up its travel as easily as something like the Canyon Torque that I recently tested, and wants to sit up higher in its travel rather than settling into it. There's good small bump sensitivity, and I was able to use all of the travel when warranted, but the ramp up before the end of the stroke does give the bike a more energetic rather than planted feel. I ended up running the rebound on the SuperDeluxe a little slower than usual, which helped to create a calmer ride. That sense of being propelled down the trail is great on smoother, more rolling terrain, and in sections where bigger bikes can feel bogged down the Tarvo felt like it was surging ahead, eager to get around the next corner.
The Tarvo's geometry felt well suited to its enduro-ish intention. We're starting to see some brands dip their toes into the world of sub-63° head angles, but I have a feeling that we're getting close to the limits, at least when it comes to bikes that retains some level of versatility. The Tarvo's head angle, reach, and chainstay length all felt familar to me, since I've ridden several bikes with similar numbers, and worked well on the variety of terrain that the bike saw.
At higher speeds the Tarvo really came alive – the feeling that it was trying to escape faded, replaced by a smooth sense of precision. That high level of progression means there's little need to worry about harsh bottom-outs, and it'll get airborne with minimal effort. I'd worried that the light weight would would make it feel nervous or flexy, but those traits never appeared, and there was plenty of stability when pushing into corners or going flat out down an open section of trail. Again, it's not the kind of bike that encourages you to chuck it into a nasty pile of rubble without any forward planning, but it's also not a delicate flower - it can definitely take on the rough stuff without faltering.
Last Tarvo
Orbea Rallon
How Does It Compare?
The Tarvo sits in a class of its own when it comes to its suspension design, since there aren't many (or possibly any) other flex pivot bikes out there with 160mm of travel. In any case, what bike does this boutique compare to? Let's pit it against the Orbea Rallon, another bike that's light, fast, and has a storage compartment in the downtube.
When it comes to geometry, both bikes are pretty similar on paper. The Tarvo's 64-degree head angle is the same as the Rallon, and both bikes have a 485mm reach. There's only a 2mm difference in chainstay length between the 185 Tarvo and the large Orbea, although Last gets a point in their favor for using different chainstay lengths for each size.
The Rallon has a steeper seat angle, which I preferred, and I found the overall seated position to be more comfortable on tricky climbs. The Rallon also has a shorter seat tube length, which makes it easier for all riders to run longer travel dropper posts.
When it comes to downhill performance, both bikes have more of a fast-and-light feel as opposed to something that encourages smashing your way down the trail. They both feel like race bikes rather than bike park machines, with climbing manners that make them work well for rides with a variety of terrain.
I rode the Rallon with a coil shock, and was impressed with the balance of traction and support that it delivered; I'd be tempted to go the same route with the Tarvo, especially considering how progressive its suspension kinematics are.
Technical Report
Trickstuff Maxima brakes: The Maxima's remain the smoothest and most powerful brakes that I've ever used. A light touch is all it takes to scrub off a little speed, and a firmer pull makes it possible to come to a complete stop anywhere, no matter how steep the trail. Of course, that performance comes at a very high price – literally – and with Trickstuff in the process of being acquired by DT Swiss it's harder than ever to track down a pair of these incredible stoppers.
Newmen SL A.30 wheels: The carbon Newmen wheels have a great feel on the trail, and the hub is nearly silent while coasting. However, I wasn't as impressed with the three-pawl system – partway through testing it starting making a 'popping' noise under heavy loads, and when I pulled it apart one of the pawls was slower to return than the others. I cleaned everything and applied fresh freehub grease, but after a few rides the popping returned. Luckily a new spring and pawls is only $7 or so, but not needing to touch them in the first place would be even better.
In-frame storage: It's great that more and more companies are starting to take advantage of all those empty downtubes. Last's use of super-stong magnets is clever, although it does require a little more finagling to use compared to the latch style systems used by Specialized, Trek, and others. I also had the 'door' make some noise when I have a full water bottle on it – the weight of the bottle was making the cover rock back and forth. A strip of mastic tape solved the issue; something to keep in mind if you end up with a Tarvo with a mystery rattle.
![photo]()
Trickstuff Maxima brakes: The Maxima's remain the smoothest and most powerful brakes that I've ever used. A light touch is all it takes to scrub off a little speed, and a firmer pull makes it possible to come to a complete stop anywhere, no matter how steep the trail. Of course, that performance comes at a very high price – literally – and with Trickstuff in the process of being acquired by DT Swiss it's harder than ever to track down a pair of these incredible stoppers.
Newmen SL A.30 wheels: The carbon Newmen wheels have a great feel on the trail, and the hub is nearly silent while coasting. However, I wasn't as impressed with the three-pawl system – partway through testing it starting making a 'popping' noise under heavy loads, and when I pulled it apart one of the pawls was slower to return than the others. I cleaned everything and applied fresh freehub grease, but after a few rides the popping returned. Luckily a new spring and pawls is only $7 or so, but not needing to touch them in the first place would be even better.
In-frame storage: It's great that more and more companies are starting to take advantage of all those empty downtubes. Last's use of super-stong magnets is clever, although it does require a little more finagling to use compared to the latch style systems used by Specialized, Trek, and others. I also had the 'door' make some noise when I have a full water bottle on it – the weight of the bottle was making the cover rock back and forth. A strip of mastic tape solved the issue; something to keep in mind if you end up with a Tarvo with a mystery rattle.
Pros
+ Incredibly light for a race-ready bike
+ Absolutely gorgeous frame finish
+ Size specific chainstays
Cons
- Very progressive suspension design can make shock setup more challenging
- Seat tube could be steeper, and shorter
Pinkbike's Take
| The Last Tarvo is light, quick, and beautifully constructed, with ride characteristics that make it stand out from the crowd. It's far from your run-of-the-mill Horst Link bike, and because of that it can take a little longer to unlock its secrets. For riders with a fast, precise riding style the Tarvo delivers a very engaging ride, although those who prefer to point and plow straight through anything and everything may want to look elsewhere. |
Author Info:
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Tarvo as tested $10210 after subtracting 19% VAT and adding 11% duty
Tarvo DHX2 frame $4585 after
Nomad CC DHX2 frame $4149 +tx = $4480
Not saying that value doesn't matter; just that "value" means something different to everyone.
The other one doesn’t really have any of those things going for it but is very expensive because it says Santa Cruz on the badge.
BTW: I ordered a Tarvo last November. It should arrive next week. It’s pretty much the same spec as in the article—except it’s gonna be a mullet and a gx drivetrain. But I also went for the Trickstuff Maxima as Shimano was not available. Can’t wait anymore
In all seriousness tho, the first $10k (mountain) bike I ever saw was an S works Enduro from like 2014, so given inflation, supply chain issues, the general rise in bike prices, this thing is pretty cheap. That S works from 8 years ago didn't have electronic shifting, didn't have carbon hoops, nor Trickstuff Brakes.
My big issue with the new "Triathlon" riding position is that it puts way too much weight on your hands and uses way less hamstring in the pedal stroke. Not so enjoyable in flat and intermediate terrain. Of course half my comment is directly related to envy associated with the difference in body types between pinkbike testers and I. I did lots of hard work at the dining table - like most readers - to have this issue
As with anything, there are limits, as I mentioned in the review. Still, I bet most riders wouldn’t mind if the Tarvo had a slightly steeper seat angle.
Able to fit the world's longest dropper post without issue.
that seat mast height is set by the maximum insertion depth. which is dictated by layout of the sus. shortening the mast height will accomplish f*ckall. SMH
The Speci Enduro has a 420 seattube in S3 but only ~20cm of insertion depth.
Or, especially in small sizes, the Trek Slash or many Giant/Livs where you often have to run a 125mm post.
Owned one, no issues.
Not gonna lie-I want one.
Erik
They gave it to me!
Im not hating, I think it is insane and impressive that LAST as managed to keep it sub 30 with dd rear tire, but just voicing my personal opinion. feel free to tell me why I'm wrong.
I'd heard of people using oils instead of grease, so I tried a few drops of Fox Gold fork oil. Freehub's been fine ever since, & is appropriately noisy, too!
8 month waiting and counting. promised was 2 month ago
absolutely the last time for me
While intenses CHAD system get coverd in mud or whatever on the outside, its the best idea so far.
Also: yay anther bike in the market to split Customers again - Soon there will be so many brands each will only sell a 100 bikes a year.
So in essence, I can tune a shock for off the top and mid stroke feel, while letting the bike handle the rest of the travel. With more progressive rear suspension designs, one might not need to stuff the larger volume spacer in to their air shock for shits and giggles anymore. And obviously, it works best for coil.
@mikekazimer Well, yea. I was just be facetious. There's a sweet spot for progression, but only a few MTBs have reached it.
I’d coil it for sure.
Anyway nice to see the review!
So, yeah, No. not going there.. x01 from now on
people like @conoat have had them for a long time and put them through a lot and they still perform fine
I prefer hollowgrams tho
User error retard
user error or not, Sram said “you should be using X01, because then I could help you out”
I will take weight panelty for normal pivot instead of thinking when the material will so tired that it will let go.