I'm still in semi-mourning over the dearth of teflon-coated cables. They were so "neat."
The only galvanized cables I've been exposed to are the bulk ones that you may get if you simply tell the shop "I need a cable." They seemed rough to the touch, but it could have been the psychological effect of not seeing shiny smooth cables. I don't know. I like shiny cables, and I like teflon-coated over those. REI used to have them and stopped carrying them a while ago.
All that said, I'm not sure I ever had a failure, or a problem due to cable failure or sticking. I've never had the opportunity to ride a bike with cables so crappy they didn't work. I do remember friends with Sting-Rays that were left outside for months on end, and their cables were always fouled up.
Last edited by bamboobike4; 03-17-22 at 12:40 PM.