Carbon fiber bicycle rims have been around for a while now — but they’ve always been a challenge for braking, since they don’t offer the same “grab” from standard rubber brake pads as the old aluminum alloy rims do.

So these cats at a company called Zircotec came up with a sprayed-on ceramic coating that eliminates the braking challenge for carbon fiber rims.  It’s also used on carbon fiber Formula 1 car components to extend life, and on motorcycle panniers to protect them from heat damage from the exhaust system.

What’ll they think of next?

Read here for the full story, courtesy Gizmag.