The paper describes experiments concerning the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of SiC from methyl trichlorosilane (MTS) on commercially available continuous mesophase pitch-based carbon fibres. The influence of the reaction parameters (deposition temperature, concentration of the reactants and composition of the carrier gas) on the kinetics of the deposition of SiC was investigated. The carbon fibres coated with SiC were characterized by their mechanical properties measured in a 30 mm monofilament test, the morphology of the surface of the coated and of the uncoated fibres was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and the oxidation behaviour is discussed in terms of the weight change measured in a thermal balance during heating in air with a constant heating rate.