Of course they use a cable..........but so do most of the factory shifters and you wouldn't use that in a race car. A GOOD shifter is about the quality of the cable and how precise and repeatable the detents are in the mechanisms. Like the looks of the PPP or not, they are one of the most precisely machined shifters on the market. Couple that with a quality cable and correct adjustment and they are pretty much foolproof. Most shifters come with a very cheap cable that is prone to stretch.

Too many other shifters don't have positive detents and the shifter can be "in between". The detents on the PPP shifter is like a road map and has a positive stop at every location, it just doesn't slide in a gate and hit a stop. Very positive. Most ratchets can be caught "in between" as well when they get a little wear on the mechanism or if you don't pull it hard enough.

I tend to be a little more about function and weight, than "pretty", but have to admit I think the PPP is one of the best looking shifters out there as well as very light and well made.