Originally Posted by JohnDThompson

The cable dosn't (or shouldn't, anyway) contact the fulcrum stop at all; the stop just holds the housing. The problem with the plastic fulcrum stops is that they disintegrate, often at the worst time -- e.g. when downshifting to go up a steep hill so there's lots of tension on the cable. When it happeens, you're stuck in high gear until you replace the fulcrum stop.

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I have had a plastic one fail on a ride and had to cobble something together to hold the bike in second gear to get home.