Bicycle Mechanics - Shimano center pull quick release

What is the trick with getting center pull (shimano) front brakes off and on quickly?

Optional long story below...

I don't know why I am this inept but I had to remove the front wheel from an older Cannondale H300 to transport it for someone and it had a center pull Shimano brake that I just couldn't figure out how to release. It had these black "pins" on each side that looked like they flipped around and out to release but flipping them around and out didn't seem to help much and it was a pain to do.

Eventually I got the wheel off, transported the bike and when I tried to put the wheel back on it was a pain to get the brake back on and it touches on one side. I'm no mechanic and I am used to side pull quick release that are really easy to work.

Any advice would be appreciated. Or a how-to video would be great too ;-)

I want to fix the brake now too.

Thanks

BTW, I search the thread for "release center pull" and a lot came back that seemed to have nothing to do with what I was looking for so sorry if this is a frequently asked question.

I assume you are talking about cantilever brakes. One thing that I have found that makes it much easier to do a quick release is to get a straddle cable that has a removal pull tab like this one:

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=683940932341&d=single&c=Repair-Parts&sc=Cable-and-Housing&tc=Straddle/Link-Wires&item_id=JW-SC380TRI

There's more to look at here:

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=683940932341&c=Repair-Parts&sc=Cable-and-Housing&tc=Straddle/Link-Wires

Without a pull tab, the easiest way to take the slack off the straddle cable so that you can get the barrel
anchor released is to reach through the wheel with thumb and forefinger to squeeze the pads together. If that does not do the trick then you probably have your straddle cable too tight or your main brake cable needs a little slack put into it.

Hope that helps. Best luck!

Thanks for the reply. Here is a pic of the brake I took earlier. Not sure if it is cantilever or not. The brakes worked fine before I messed with it though I didn't use any tools at all so I was hoping to fix the brake without tools.

Thanks for the reply. Here is a pic of the brake I took earlier. Not sure if it is cantilever or not. The brakes worked fine before I messed with it though I didn't use any tools at all so I was hoping to fix the brake without tools.

Yup, that's a cantilever. Sorry to say, but those are amongst the hardest brakes to adjust correctly. From the picture, it looks like you need a little more slack in the straddle cable and less in the main brake cable. When you pull on the brake lever, both brake pads should be moving the same distance to get to the rim braking surface. Oh, and the pads should strike the rim surface pretty much squarely. Don't worry about "toe-in" unless they are squealing. That's about it. Just make small changes and see what happens. Cantis require a lot of patience to get them right. I know people who say they are easy, but they never have been for me.

Oh, the quick release ...

That straddle cable has a little knob (in the middle of the wire on the left side) whose purpose is to assist in the quick release. Put that little knob between your index and middle finger and push up on the cantilever arm with your thumb. The straddle cable barrel anchor should come out easily. Again, if it does not, then you don't have the straddle cable and the main brake cable adjusted correctly.

Great information. Thanks for all the replies!!

Cantilevers can make a preacher cuss. Center pull brakes are heavenly easy to work with.