The Carbon Fiber Bicycle And The Benefits Of Lightweight Cycling

Reasons to buy a carbon fiber bike. The bicycle is probably the most efficient form of transport developed by the human race. I guess a horse and cart may be close but there are not so many of those around these days.

The problem with cycling is that it can be hard work. Not only do you have to provide the power to move yourself along the road but you also have to move the weight of the bike itself. It follows that if you can reduce the weight of yourself or the bike it will require less energy and less effort to transport yourself around on your lightweight bicycle.

It has understandably been the holy grail of bicycle design to reduce the weight of the complete bicycle and over the years many new materials have been tried. Some have been very successful such as the use of Aluminum for the frames and most other parts of the cycle.

Very thin walled steel tubing was the original lightweight material used for making bicycle frames but when aluminium tube became available at reasonable cost it took over the market in lightweight bikes but it did have some disadvantages. The biggest problem was that it is not as tough as steel and an Aluminium frame could be bent or damaged in the event of an accident or careless use.

The development of carbon fiber for use in the space and aircraft industries has transformed the manufacture of strong but lightweight parts for all types of vehicles but especially for the bicycle industry. Carbon fiber is very strong yet very light but it is also incredibly tough. Anyone who has seen a motor racing accident in recent years will have seen just how strong a material this is. Drivers are able to walk away from accidents that would have completely destroyed a car before the development of strong carbon fiber products.

The arrival of reasonably priced carbon fiber bicycles has mad cycling a more realistic possibility for many people who have previously dismissed the idea of travelling anywhere by bike.

If you are not planning on travelling too far a lightweight bicycle and a backpack allow you to get fit and healthy while saving money and reduce your personal carbon footprint.