Carbon Fiber Suspensions

There have been a few mountain and road bikes that use the inherently high fatigue strength of carbon fiber to design dampening systems into the frame. Looking through some of these designs, I found an interest in carbon fiber composites as suspension (or spring) systems.

Here is a patent about carbon fiber coil springs.

Clip in pedals with carbon fiber retaining springs:

Many super-lite road brakes have been using composite springs for a while now. This is where I see some potential for BMX. We may be able to design a U-brake with a linear spring that will allow more design freedom.

It would be interesting to read an analysis of the Histeresis involved in composite springs...

EDIT: Our rep left a Keo Blade pedal with the carbon spring, in the shop. It is very nice, and actually a cool manufacturing desing (i.e. those flat carbon springs must be significantly cheaper to produce than Ti coil springs)