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Carbon fiber is changing the world we live in and is used in a range of industries from aerospace to medicine. Sports are no exception. The future of cycling is heading towards carbon fiber bikes and it’s going there fast.
Keep reading to learn all about carbon fiber and why you need a bike made from this material.
What Is Carbon Fiber?
Carbon fiber is a luxury, lightweight material used in a wide variety of products such as jewelry or tech accessories.
It begins as an organic polymer with carbon as its base and goes through a carbonization process to reach its final state. It is stronger than steel, able to withstand extreme heat, and has a high chemical tolerance.
How Is It Made?
While not all carbon fiber is of good quality, SMI ensures only the best. They produce this material in the most advanced way, as all the tools are made in-house. This allows them to oversee every part of the process and ensure there are no quality issues.
The general process consists of spinning the polymer into fibers, making them thermally stable, and carbonizing them by ejecting non-carbon atoms from the bond. After carbonization, the resulting thin strands receive a surface treatment to achieve oxidation. The strands are then woven together and eventually molded into products hardened with a resin.
The SMI manufacturing options include autoclave curing, out-of-autoclave curing, bladder molding, cast molding, and compression molding. Each option is beneficial in its own way and the choice of manufacturing depends on the project at hand.
Carbon Fiber Bikes
Carbon fiber sports products are the future. These bikes are lightweight, resistant, and aerodynamic making for the most sophisticated riding experience.
Carbon fiber bikes will give you a fluid ride yet are still stiff enough to take the power of your pedal. And if you’re riding over bumpy terrain, it has vibration dampening qualities, unlike aluminum bikes.
And because of the material, the frame can be molded into the optimal shape for your riding experience. It also allows for areas of higher or lower stiffness depending on their function. For example, the bottom bracket of the bike would be very stiff, as it takes on lots of stress.
This process isn’t possible with bikes made from metal.
Carbon bikes are also long-lasting, as they aren’t subject to chemical erosion or UV light damage. And even if you do some significant harm to your bike from a crash, it can be repaired.
Be a Part of the Future
Carbon fiber bikes are changing the world of sports. So say goodbye to clunky metal bikes and say hello to sleek carbon fiber ones. Your cycling experience will be taken to the next level.
Contact us if you have any further questions, or wish to start a project with SMI today!
