Carbon Fiber Cranks Way Into Market Acceptance

KENMORE, WA—Carbon fiber has come of age. While the magic material has been around for years, it has finally become safe enough and has gained enough acceptance in the marketplace that it will be everywhere in 2002.

Whereas carbon fiber was once the domain of road forks and frames, it's being used in areas that would have been taboo even a couple years ago—RockShox's Sid carbon fiber fork crown and steerer tube and Campagnolo's Hyperon hubs, for example.

"It's carbon everything these days. Consumers really like the carbon products," said Doug Stewart, general manager of Full Speed Ahead (FSA).

Carbon fiber cranks have never been known for their reliability, but FSA developed an aluminum spine for its cranks that helps eliminate safety and durability issues. The technology has paid off and the crank line has done very well for the company.

"The technology finally has evolved to where the products are reliable and lightweight," Stewart said.

Easton helped take the stigma out of carbon fiber handlebars. It wasn't the first to make carbon fiber bars, but it was the first to make a product that passed rigorous laboratory testing and the test of public opinion. Easton will offer a lighter weight version of its EC90 mountain bike handlebars this year.

Answer has used carbon fiber in its BMX and Manitou suspension forks for several years, but is taking the wonder material to its component line. The company will compete with Easton with carbon fiber flat and riser handlebars.

"The stiffness you can get with the weight is unbelievable. Nothing even comes close," said Joel Smith, Answer's marketing manager.

Answer takes a slightly different approach with its seatpost, adding an external aluminum sleeve for durability while still keeping weight to less than 200 grams (7 ounces).

Carbon fiber seatstays have become the de facto standard for serious road bike builders. Seven Cycles was one of the first to use them on its Odanata in 1997.

"We wanted the durability and ride of titanium, but also wanted to pull weight out. Second was to leverage the ride qualities of carbon," said Rob Vandermark, Seven's founder.

European builders soon began using single-piece, carbon fiber wishbone seatstays. Pinarello used the design to build a 2.5-pound frame with a steel main triangle.

Today there is so much demand for the design that titanium-only builder Litespeed is using its own carbon fiber seatstay design, which is made in

Taiwan, in some of its titanium and aluminum bikes. Fuji and Klein also offer frames with carbon fiber seatstays.

Taiwanese companies have become increasingly active in carbon fiber production. The quality of Taiwanese carbon fiber has improved significantly in recent years. For example, despite carrying names like Cinelli, Litespeed, Look, Mizuno or Profile, many high-end carbon fiber forks are made in Taiwan.

Despite its acceptance, some consumers still have safety issues with carbon fiber. Improperly installed handlebars or forks can be dangerous. A slew of small parts address the problem.

AME developed an aluminum sleeve for carbon fiber steerer tubes to prevent them from becoming crushed by heavy-handed mechanics. Reynolds is offering a carbon fiber hacksaw blade for proper cutting. And Time eliminated the need for a top-cap wedge with its Micro Set ring that adjusts headset tension under the stem.

Time's Micro Set is meant to work with its Stiff fork, which is reinforced with a cross section in the steerer tube. Time also will have two carbon fiber stems for 2002—a full carbon version and a version with aluminum clamps with a bonded mid section.

Carbon fiber is even making its way into saddles. As saddle makers duke it out through another weight war, they have started using carbon to make saddles that are light yet still comfortable.