What is the difference between dry carbon and carbon fiber?

Difference in carbon fiber weave?

• I'm looking into getting my first all carbon frame and been looking at some stuff online. However there seems to be different weave patterns among various manufacturers. Most carbon ...show more

• Answer:

  The weave patterns are aesthetic. You should worry about the specifications of the carbon fiber. Colnago uses 50-ton carbon fiber for certain parts of their bikes. Meaning the bike can withstand up to 50 tons of pressure. Ofcourse that is unnecessary for most parts of the frame so they use that in moderation with other lesser carbon fiber components. Good thing about carbon fiber is that you can alter the stress tolerance on specific parts of the frame compared to aluminum where the tolerance will be almost the same everywhere on the frame. They use different types of carbon fiber for different parts of the frame depending on whether you need stiffness or compliance. Its not easy to actually test these claims as a civilian but you can surely tell the difference on test rides if you are an experienced rider. Some carbon fiber frames will show the weave patterns but the weave doesnt necessarily mean its better or worse than the other. Its the material when it comes down to it. Just as some wheel manufacturers will argue that the spoke allignment makes all the difference, I am sure some manufacturers of carbon fiber will argue the weave patterns make some difference. I say its minimal and has more to do with aesthetics. When it comes down to it the type of carbon fiber used should be more of your concern. P.S. Dont worry about where the carbon fiber is made because currently the best quality carbon fiber is from Asia. I read this in a magazine and I also learned that many Italian bike companies buy their carbon fiber from Asia. Steel has tensile strength of roughly 29 million psi. A "low modulus" carbon fiber has tensile strength of roughly 34.8 psi. So a high modulus carbon fiber would have much more. They classify carbon as low, medium, high and ultra modulus monocoque. Ultra modulus carbon fiber will have tensile strength somewhere between 70 million to 150 million psi. High modulus carbon fiber is just below that. Based on this its easy to tell that carbon fiber is much stiffer. We all know its lighter so its no question that a race bike will be more suited with carbon fiber than any other material.