At the distances I have between these supports ( <6" ), I have tried and cannot generate enough force with my hands at each end of the rod (putting the rod in compression) to create any flexure between supports. In fact, I was worried that with the amount of force I was applying, that one of the cross member supports would certainly break lose. I think that with the directional strength of the cf, it takes very little support along its strong axis to support it in column bending.