We have a lot of fun at the Bikepackist, answering your amazing questions. One that came up recently is, “Are carbon fiber bikes for bikepacking?” Well, this is an amazing topic to discuss, and as a bikepacker of all bike materials, I wanted to tell you my thoughts.

In this article, I will explain carbon fiber, the advantages and disadvantages of bikepacking with carbon fiber, and whether it’s a good route for an adventure. Let’s go!

• What Is Carbon Fiber?
• Pros And Cons Of Carbon Fiber
• What’s It Like Bikepacking On Carbon Fiber?
• Carbon Bikes For Bikepacking

Bike Featured Yeoleo G21!

What Is Carbon Fiber?

Carbon fiber is an incredibly strong, lightweight material. It’s made of thin strands of carbon atoms bonded together. These fibers are as small as human hair, but don’t let that fool you. They are very resilient and strong.

Carbon fiber is generally layered and then mixed with resin to create a structure like a bike frame. When the resin hardens, it creates this incredibly strong, very lightweight, and stiff material. It is used in many industries, such as aerospace, sports, medical, and automotive. 

Key Features Of Carbon Fiber

• Very Strong
• Lightweight
• Stiff
• Doesn’t Fatigue Easily
• Resistant To Temperature
• Doesn’t Easily Corrode 

Pros And Cons Of Carbon Bike For Bikepacking

When it comes to using carbon fiber for bikepacking, there are pros and cons. After attending many ultra-distance races and social and personal trips, here are my thoughts.

Pros

Light And Fast

Carbon fiber is very light, and with this comes extra speed. The lighter you can make your setup the faster you are going to be and easier you are going to find going up hills and carrying loads. 

Stiff And Responsive

Carbon fiber is fun to ride and offers a racing feel in most situations. When it comes to bikepacking, it can add an exciting element to climbing and, of course, descending. 

Strong And Resistant 

Carbon fiber is very resilient to outside factors. It doesn’t rust or corrode easily, and temperature changes don’t affect it as much as other materials. The strength of carbon fiber in the right places is incredible, too.

Looks

I have to mention looks here. Carbon fiber bikes do look incredible, and there’s no denying that some awesome bags really make a bikepacking rig that people will be jealous of.

Cons

Cost

Carbon fiber bikes for bikepacking are not cheap. They typically cost double or more than aluminum or steel bikes. For many people who like adventure cycling, this is money they might rather spend on travel. 

Brittle And Difficult To Repair

Carbon fiber is an incredible material, but when it gets stressed in a place where it isn’t meant to be, it will break. Also, it is quite brittle when it comes to piercing impacts. Crash repair is a very challenging process, too.

Comfort

Another issue is comfort. Carbon fiber is very stiff, and on rough surfaces, it can feel a little more testing than materials such as titanium or steel. Over long miles, this can make a difference. 

Aggressive Geometries

Most carbon fiber bikes for bikepacking are designed for racing. This means you don’t often get them with those lovely, comfortable, relaxing geometries, which might mean you need to rest more.

What’s It Like Bikepacking On Carbon?

I am a big fan of using any material when it comes to bikepacking, but personally, I find carbon fiber one of the tougher ones. Yes, it makes you fast and offers an amazing feeling of always going super fast. 

When you are racing, it is a huge advantage. Over hundreds of miles, you tend to have easier work compared to others on heavier materials. It might be an extra 0.5mph, which over a week-long trip could save you a whole day or half a day.

If you are just on a leisurely tour and speed doesn’t matter, I am more of a fan of using a steel or titanium bike. They might be slower and feel a little laggier, but they offer a higher level of comfort.

Another thing to mention is security. One bad fall could be the end of your bike. With steel, you could find a cheap welder to bodge it together, but when it comes to carbon fiber, it’s not that simple. You also find you are a much bigger target when it comes to thieves. 

To Race Or To Tour?

In my opinion, it all comes down to what you are doing. If you are ultra-racing, carbon fiber is generally a good choice, provided you have the right geometry and setup. If you are just on an adventure and not overly worried about going fast, you might get more from steel. 

For me, this is more of a personal issue, and I worry about crashing and damaging a frame beyond repair. Although that can happen on all different types of materials, I feel that with steel, it will take a harder hit and could probably bend back fairly easily. 

Top Carbon Fiber Add Ons

When it comes to carbon fiber, it’s not just about the bike, there are many upgrades you can buy to help lighten the load and improve the experience! Here’s my favorites!

A nice set of carbon fiber aerobars for less than $50! These are not just going to give you an extra position but save weight in doing so!

Another option is a carbon fiber seat post. Less than $30 and lighter, stronger, and even stiffer than your standard post.

You could always use carbon fiber handlebars. These come in at less than $50 and are incredible when it comes to stiffness and also power transfer. Plus you also save a few grams!

Carbon Bikes For Bikepacking?

Carbon fiber has a place in bikepacking. It’s a phenomenal material that can offer a lot of benefits when riding long distances. I love it in a racing situation, but in general, just travelling, I would choose steel or titanium. 

If you enjoyed this article you might like Best Bikes For Bikepacking, What Makes A Great Bikepacking Bike, and Biggest Bikepacking Fears Answered!