Brake cables can make a big difference to the way your brakes feel, a good quality set of brake cables should make your brakes respond more positively and be more controllable, this will enable you to manage your speed through technical sections while off road or descending on the road. The invention of the brake cable, known as a Bowden cable, has been popularly attributed to Sir Frank Bowden, founder and owner of the Raleigh Bicycle company who, circa 1902, was reputed to have started replacing the rigid rods used for bicycle brakes with a flexible wound cable. The basic design has remained un-changed, but improvements in materials and technology have improved providing a smoother and more positive lever feel.