Tom Kunich said:Quoted message said:I also considered using the shifter cable from an old Positron RD
to see if that would reduce the slack enough to get decent
performance out of the rear brake, as according to the yachting
world a solid wire is less springy than a multi strand wire(for a
given diameter).
No matter how closely you pack circular cross section strands,
they will have less cross sectional area than an equivalent diameter
solid wire, however, for the forces in brake cables, the stranded
cables do not stretch.
Quoted message said:The problem isn't the inner wire but the outer casing I believe.
Brake cable housing is, in essence, a stack of rings that when formed
into a curve as brake cables require, the central axis of the housing
elongates because the inner length is incompressible and the outer
length is free to open gaps between coils. If the housing has any
kinks, these will straighten and cause a spongy feeling when braking.
That my be where the "cable stretch
Because this well understood characteristic of "Bowden" cables makes
no difference to a force transmitting function, brake cables use it,
however, STI shifting relies on constant derailleur position and for
this reason Shimano made an STI shift cable housing that is not a
stack of rings (or even a close packed coil) and made a cable housing
that has long helix embedded wires. This housing is not designed to
transmit force, especially braking force, because it will burst and
collapse axially if used for brakes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowden_cable
Jobst Brandt