Originally Posted by
davester
The housings of older cables are unlined and have far more friction than newer types. Also, many of the newer cables are coated whereas the older ones weren't. This is a major part of the reason why people complain about the braking power of older brake sets. The friction in the housing can significantly reduce the amount of force that gets applied to the brake pads.
On the other hand, the more direct cable routing out the top of the brake lever, rather than under the bar tape, means less housing friction as well. You can get the best of both worlds by running modern lined cables and housing with old-style non-aero brake levers.
