Quite the science, this carbon fiber as a building material. The resin creates the stiffness, and the weight, while the cloth creates the linear strength and flexibility. The specific mix of resin and cloth, the number of layers, as well as the fiber direction, is the ongoing experiment to create the ideal frame. The latest development has been the addition of tiny carbon tubules into the resin, which serves to displace more resin during the manufacturing process, thus reducing weight without sacrificing strength and flexibility.

For those who might not know, whenever you see a layer of carbon fiber cloth on a frame, fork or component, you're looking at the cosmetic layer. The functional layering beneath that visible layer has a much different, less aesthetically pleasing look.