Originally Posted by
Jicafold
So if I have a Crescent bike from the 70's, the Swedish orange one with a 531 frame and non aero brake levers, and it came with centerpull brakes, would you keep those brakes or swap the calipers for sidepull Dia-Compe 500's? Why this bike has centerpull anyways I do not know as the derailleurs are Campy nuovo record.
The sidepulls vs centerpulls argument has been going on for decades, and I'm sure you'll find more info in the archives.
It was common for 70s racing bikes to have center pull brakes. Some people preferred them because they have more stopping power than Campy sidepulls. Being centerpulls, they are good at staying centered. Campy sidepulls have less but
good enough stopping power, better fine control, and being sidepulls they can track a bent wheel if you break a spoke or whatever.
IMO either keep the centerpulls, or put on campy sidepulls. Weinmann sidepulls were not horrible or anything, but not nearly at the same level as either of those.