>
> being tightened never but takes any stretching as bike cables are installed
> with a lot of slack to follow along frames, handlebars etc. Because of this

Until you wipe-out and turn your front wheel around, tightening the cables
around the head tube...  The cables get lots of stretching then.  Bike cable
will hold up fine to the about of tension it will take with the curtains.  There
are essentially two types of cable housing.  Shimano heavy stuff is made of a
coated wire-rope type housing, and there are cheaper varieties that are like a
coiled type inner.  That Shimano stuff is superduper tough. Also, the derailleur
housing, and MTB brake housing are two different gauges.

Keith Adams
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1986 Vanagon GL Westfalia