I'm not a fan of Weinmanns, and I used them exclusively for many years. They adequate, but I just don't love them. I like Dia Compe centerpulls slightly less, because they felt spongier to me.

I do love Mafacs, though.

I hear Universals are about as good. I'd love to try them.

Sidepulls became fashionable probably because the most expensive brakes were sidepull, and everyone wanted brakes modeled after those. All things being equal, sidepulls give better modulation because their leverage is slightly lower. And they are less prone to flex since there is usually less arm to them. Sidepulls are also easier to set up. And once you set them up, you don't have to readjust the pad placement during the time it's wearing down. Sidepulls are the only design with this advantage. The biggest disadvantage to sidepulls is that not enough people know how to center them.

So to address the centering non-problem, dual pivot sidepulls became popular, but they don't have the same never-need-to-adjust-pads advantage that single pivot sidepulls have.

But with all of that said, it's possible to make a centerpull that's every bit as good as a sidepull. The Mafac is proof of it. I suppose I have to toss the Weinmann in, too. I can't say why I don't like them as much, and lots of people like them a lot, and they can't be wrong.