A fiber optic ribbon cable includes a fiber optic ribbon or stack of ribbons, strength members surrounding the ribbon or stack, and a jacket defining an exterior of the cable. The jacket forms a cavity through which the strength members and the ribbon or stack extend. The ribbon or stack has a bend preference, but the strength members are flexible and do not have a bend preference. Furthermore, the jacket is structured such that the jacket does not have a bend preference. The cavity is sized relative to the ribbon or stack in order to allow the same to bend and twist within the cavity with respect to the jacket as the cable bends, facilitating movement of the corresponding optical fibers to low-stress positions within the cavity and decoupling the bend preference of the ribbon or stack from transfer to the jacket.