I like the barrel vs pear for the brake cable end.. difference..

some levers use the barrel shaped end and let it freely rotate to keep it a straight pull as the lever is pulled around its pivot.

gear cables, yes, are thinner , but Campagnolo requires a smaller end button,
put a Shimano type gear cable in and it will jam in the shifter..

cables in economy sets with a button on both ends lack the quality ans smoothness of die drawn slicked cable that have 1 fitting

and more importantly IMO the cable that was hot cut at the factory is not going to be fighting you
as much as one that frays easily where you cut off the opposite end.





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