Originally Posted by
rasamatoo
bump ( awesome thread )
But I have a question of my own... Why not make carbonfiber-wrapped steel frames and forks. You'd be able to make extremely small/thin tubes that will be extremely strong. Sure, it'll weigh maybe a tiny bit more than a full CF bike, but it will last a lifetime and never rust.
Steel doesn't quite work like that. Steel is a very strong metal...but it does have its limits. Usually, the smaller the tubing of the steel is, the weaker it is as a whole. Wrapping carbon fiber around it won't make it dramatically stronger.
Someone with more materials science/engineering background can probably clarify further on this.
Originally Posted by
rasamatoo
PS: is it possible to unwrap CF from that kind of biek, to wrap new sheets of CF around the original core steel frame?
Not easily. First, you wouldn't want to do that, as the sheets are welded VERY closely to maximize strength; re-weaving it would damage the structural integrity of it (i.e. make it weaker). Second, the weaves are bonded by epoxy, a plastic that doesn't melt.
Good questions though!