I would probably convert any bike that is a good candidate from center-pull cantis to linear pull.

What bike wouldn't be a good candidate? One that does not have a built-in rear-facing cable stop. My c. '93 Univega hybrid routes the rear brake cable through a narrow curved tube intended to fit thin cable sheathing, not standard housing, and serves as a cable hanger; I see lots of vintage Treks and some other brands with a similar arrangement. For that, one solution is a clamp-on cable stop but I tried that and didn't care for it because my inner thighs rubbed against it. So I use Tektro Oryx cantilevers:



These use linear-pull-style pads with threaded posts and are therefore much easier to adjust than the smooth posts. And, I found that levers matter. I was using Tektro levers that convert from short pull to long pull, but in short-pull mode they required lots of effort and braking power seemed weak. (For the record, though Tektro stuff is not in the elite category, I've been pleased with the quality and performance of all their products except these levers, and they do work well in long-pull mode.) I swapped in a pair of Shimano short-pull levers from the parts bin and they are much preferable, with light action and strong braking power.