Originally Posted by
Silverprout
pole vaulters use carbon poles now !
Actually, Seagren's graphite/epoxy pole was banned at the 72' Olympics. (then reinstated and then banned again. sort of like the D3.5!
) the east german's whined that the pole was not available on the market for a long enough time. (despite there being no rule on this topic)
regarding the use of fiberglass/epoxy vs graphite/epoxy laminates. for the same stiffness, the gr/ep will be thinner lighter and more fragile. glass/ep is very tough but heavier, more flexible and not as sexy in appearance ( a truly undervalued attribute!)
it would seem if you want more flex then a glass t-bar might be stronger and more durable, but if more stiffness is desired then the gr/ep part will be lighter.