Originally Posted by
Oldpeddaller
The new Belgian Museeuw carbon frames incorporate a great deal of flax in their construction - also in the deep rims they make. I haven't seen one, let alone ridden one but the review was very positive - seems it gives a softer ride without losing stiffness and lightness. A bike made of CLOTH!!!
That's not technically correct. Most carbon fiber is made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber that is heated in an oxygen-free atmosphere to pyrolyze the fiber down to the carbon "backbone".
The "flax" frames you referenced are made by taking flax (aka linen) fibers and pyrolyzing them similarly. The end result is a carbon fiber nearly identical the the more common type. You do not wind up with a "cloth" bike any more than the usual carbon fiber frame is cloth.
This is a marketing gimmick to make you think the bike frame is "greener" than normal carbon construction. It isn't. If it gives a softer ride, it's in the layup and weave design, not in the material characteristics.