Bowden cable

A flexible inner wire sliding inside a fixed outer housing to transmit mechanical force or motion between a control and a mechanism. The housing carries compression while the wire carries tension, allowing control around bends.

Cable tension: The tensile force carried along a cable when it is pulled. Pulling the inner wire transmits force through the Bowden cable.
Bicycle brake: A device that slows or stops a bicycle by applying friction to a wheel or rotor. Many bicycle brakes are actuated by a Bowden cable from a handlebar lever.
Wire rope: A rope formed from twisted or laid strands of metal wire. The Bowden cable's inner element is typically a wire rope or related flexible wire.
Ernest Monnington Bowden: An Irish-born inventor associated with the flexible cable control patented in his name in the 1890s. His name became attached to the cable system used for remote mechanical control.
Friction: The resistance to relative motion between surfaces in contact. Contact between wire and housing creates friction that raises operating force.
Bicycle derailleur: A mechanism that moves a bicycle chain between sprockets to change gear. A shift cable positions the derailleur using motion transmitted from a handlebar control.
Control cable: A cable assembly that transfers a control input to a mechanism. Bowden cables are a widely used form of mechanical control cable.
Bicycle history: The development of bicycles, their designs, and their technologies over time. Bicycle controls helped establish the Bowden cable as a practical alternative to rigid linkages.
Mechanical advantage: The ratio of output force to input force in a mechanical system. Lever geometry paired with cable travel determines force and movement at the mechanism.
Motorcycle throttle: A rider-operated control that regulates a motorcycle engine's power. A throttle cable commonly connects the twist grip to the engine's throttle mechanism.

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