With carbon construction becoming more and more common due to increases in popularity, one is left to ask why all carbon doesn’t perform the same. Here a few factors:

• Quality with which the carbon is laid
• Weave pattern (does not apply to directionless fiber patterns)
• Thickness of the walls and supports
• Resin content VS Fiber content

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As a general rule, when the resin content increases, it conversely decreases the fiber content. The same is true when you increase the fiber content, it also conversely decreases the resin content. Other than the quality of the actual carbon construction, the ratio of fiber to resin is perhaps the second most important factor in determining how the carbon feels during a ride, like how much it flexes, the direction it flexes and how well it absorbs vibration as a dampener.

All carbon is not noticeably flexible; in fact, some of it is harshly stiff and relatively unforgiving. This occurs for two main reasons: 1.) often times manufacturers overbuild carbon products by as much as 30% to ensure that its susceptibility to degradation is dramatically reinforced, and 2.) the resin count has been lowered in order to make the product faster and lighter. Resin, in effect, gives carbon its elasticity, or ability to flex and then return to its original shape and increases vibration damping; whereas the higher carbon fiber content increases stiffness, decreases weight and then decreases vibration damping. Here is a comparison break down:

RESINOUS CARBON

• More supple feeling, more reactive and compliant
• More flex
• Greater dampening effect that absorbs vibration
• More comfortable
• A little heavier due to a higher resin to fiber ratio, closer to alloy products in weight (but again, carbon’s sole purpose is not always to lose weight, it also adds ride quality)

FIBROUS CARBON

• Less suppleness and less compliant
• Less flex = more speed
• Subtle dampening effect
• Less comfortable, in some cases harsh, similar to aluminum
• Noticeably faster
• Lighter due to higher fiber to resin ratio

The bottom line is you may want to choose a specific composition of carbon fiber for each application, instead of merely judging each carbon fiber product by weight. Weight is less than half of the story, while the overall performance is the major half. For feel, go with a heavier resinous carbon component, but for speed and weight choose a lighter fibrous carbon. The best idea is to mix and match your products so that you get a little of both.