Over in Classic & Vintage, there is a great thread regarding Campagnolo sidepull brake calipers. Sheldon Brown notes that shoes, cables (particularly the housings), handles, and calipers all affect braking power, roughly in that order. Having said that, and having upgraded the brake handles and shoes on my Bianchi, I am still dissatisfied enough with my Campagnolo calipers to want to try dual-pivot Shimanos in their place. The worst brakes I ever owned were long-reach Weinmann sidepulls with nonaero handles, old-fashioned compressible cable housing, and OEM Weinmann brake pads. The best are probably the SunTour RollerCam front / Shimano U-brake rear combo on my Schwinn.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069