The bonding of oxide films on AU carbon fibers is investigated using the single-filament-composite (SFC) specimen. The oxide films were formed by first dip-coating fibers in solutions of zirconium-n-propoxide, zirconium-n-propoxide chelated by ethyl acetoacetate or a zircoaluminate inorganic polymer coordinated to methacryloxy and oleophilic ligands, followed by steam hydrolysis and thermal treatment Coating uniformity and morphology were examined by SEM and EDXA. Fiber strength distributions at different gage lengths were obtained from tensile strength measurements of single fibers, coated and uncoated, and analyzed by Weibull statistics. Fiber fragmentation in SFC specimens was also monitored to obtain the critical length, l(c). Fiber strength, sigma(sim), at the critical length was predicted by numerical simulation using the bimodal distribution parameters experimentally determined. The simulation model of fragment distribution with respect to fiber strength in the SFC specimen was developed using Weibull statistics, and has been experimentally verified. The interfacial shear strength, tau, was calculated from sigma(sim) and l(c). The predicted fiber strengths at the critical length, estimated by numerical simulation using bimodal distribution, agree with the extrapolated strengths using the experimental data; but overestimated strengths are obtained using the unimodal distribution model The interfacial shear strength is increased slightly as the concentration of the coating solution increases to reach about 90% of the value for uncoated fibers with epoxy resin matrix. The level of bonding achieved between the fiber and coating is encouraging for potential use of the coated fiber in metal matrix composites.