The different metals used to construct bike frames each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and they each have their set of die-hard supporters. Steel frames are heavy and springy, aluminum frames lighter but stiffer. Titanium frames seem to offer a middle ground in strength, weight and flexibility, but are limited in terms of cost and repair options. Carbon fiber bike frames, however, seem to offer an almost limitless set of options in nonconventional bicycle design.

As individual fibers, carbon is an amazingly strong material. However, the fibers need to be arranged in an effective structural pattern, and need to be suspended in a base substance that is of similarly high quality for carbon fiber’s benefits to be fully realized. Usually an epoxy, the base material that suspends the carbon fiber can be molded into a vast array of designs to suit nearly every need.

Unlike metal frames, which are limited by the homogeneity of their structure, carbon fiber frames can be customized to have greater resistance in some planes of motion than others. What this means to the cycling enthusiast is that a carbon frame ca have a high degree of strength laterally, but can be more pliable and flexible vertically, allowing the bike frame to move with the cyclist. For custom designs, the degree of strength and stiffness can actually be tailored to suit the preferences of the customer.

Because it begins as an essentially amorphous substance, carbon fiber composites can be molded into a variety of exotic designs not typically seen in metal bike frames. This is an excellent choice for show bikes or even for those who simply have an artistic flair. Added to this is the bonus that, unlike steel frames, carbon fiber frames will not rust, so artistic endeavours will last over the long term.

The chemical nature of carbon fiber makes it both wonderfully strong as well as lightweight, combining the best properties of all the various metal frames on the market. While expensive, carbon fiber is possibly the best, most versatile substance currently available for designing higher end bike frames.