复合材料是自行车行业公认的一部分，1991年生产了超过10万个碳纤维车架。然而，市场仍然被认为是相对未开发的，尤其是与其他体育用品相比。自1990年以来的进步表明，复合材料在自行车上的应用将大幅增加。这股热潮将由新的、更高效的制造方法以及材料在零部件和山地自行车车架上的推广推动。回顾了自行车材料的过去和现在的使用情况。描述了具体的技术和应用，并讨论了增加材料使用的要求。

COMPOSITE MATERIALS ARE AN ACCEPTED PART OF THE BICYCLE INDUSTRY WITH OVER 100,000 CARBON FIBER FRAMES PRODUCED IN 1991. THE MARKET, HOWEVER, IS STILL PERCEIVED AS RELATIVELY UNTAPPED, PARTICULARLY WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER SPORTING GOODS. ADVANCES SINCE 1990 INDICATE THAT THE USE OF COMPOSITES FOR BICYCLES WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY. THIS UPSURGE WILL BE DRIVEN BY NEW, MORE EFFICIENT MANUFACTURING METHODS AND THE SPREAD OF THE MATERIALS TO COMPONENTS AND MOUNTAIN BIKE FRAMES. PAST AND PRESENT USAGE OF THE MATERIALS FOR BICYCLES IS REVIEWED. SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS ARE DESCRIBED, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR INCREASED MATERIAL USAGE ARE DISCUSSED.