Bicycle, tandem: The Italian company, Gruppo SPA, market carbon fiber frames, forks, rear chain-stays and seat stays, taking advantage of the low weight and vibration damping qualities of cfrp.
Vyatek Sports has introduced Isogrid, using carbon fiber braid to form a grid pattern of ribs which can be molded internally or externally to a part, providing improved resistance to buckling and has been used for handlebars and seatposts. The same company has developed BiFusion tubes, incorporating carbon fiber tubing with co-molded metal endpieces, that can be welded to a metal tube ensuring that during the welding process, the cfrp portion is adequately cooled.
Dave Lloyd supplies carbon fiber frames and bottom brackets, handlebars, head stems and seatpins made by Vision Tech from carbon fiber.
Enders customizes tandem bicycles using a carbon fiber/epoxy frame, utilizing a monocoque construction with primary load bearing in the main beam, producing a laterally stiff frame with vertical compliance to dempen road shock.
Tandem bikes have been made from cfrp and have been specially customized for team riders.
Bows and arrows: The cfrp reinforced bows provide additional strength and allow the arrow to travel faster and further. In 1971, Hoyt USA first used carbon fiber limbs in a bow. Easton Technical Products market a range of arrows incorporating carbon fiber, using a carbon fiber core with high strength carbon fiber to provide hoop stiffness, with one model bonded onto a precision Al core.
Rifles: Christensen Arms, Utah has marketed a rifle with a carbon fiber barrel, utilizing the following benefits of carbon fiber: 3-4 times stronger and 4-5 times stiffer than steel; the barrel casing is about 5 times lighter than steel and the barrel accuracy is not affected by temperature, shooting straight hot or cold, with an additional 25% barrel life due to the improved heat dissipation. Horgesheimer explains how the barrel comprises a steel liner fitted with a high modulus graphite/epoxy casing about 25mm in diameter, fitted into place by high pressure. In the construction, the steel barrel is stretched inside the liner and, in conjunction with the stiff outer barrel, reduces the barrel vibration and hence significantly increases the accuracy. Barrel droop caused by heat is reduced. All these benefits contribute to a reputed 25-50% increase in accuracy and the company guarantee 1.25cm groups at about 100m.
Skies and Ski sticks: A carbon/glass Bisphenol-F expoxy reinforcement was used by Glasforms to filament wind and alpine ski pole which resulted in about 15% lighter weight as compared to an Al shaft and an increase in strength of 25%. The tube was made with 3-ply axial carbon fiber to maximize the stiffness and strength to weight, with the axial plies separated by a ply of circumferential E-glass and another of S-2 glass wound at ±85°.
Atomic Skis uses carbon fiber reinforcement in their skis and have developed a ski with an aluminized top-skin material.
Blizzard Skis employs Kompressor Technology in their skis, with a design incorporating a carbon fiber rod positioned in a channel to produce a stable short ski.
Fischer uses carbon fiber in their higher performance skis but does not use prepreg. Instead, it employs a dry reinforcement utilizing its Air carbon and power vaccum construction.
Head Skis utilizes a Full carbon jacket, comprising a wood core torsion box with a cfrp top sheet.
Salewa have introduced a ski-binding, incorporating a carbon fiber frame to produce one of the lightest frame bindings, weighing only 1.2kgs.