Why do so many people seem to dislike Mafac brakes? I've seen a number of posts from people who think they're awful, including one recent one where the poster referred to them as "those horrible Mafac Racer brakes," or something. I was wondering because I've had a number of bikes with Mafacs over the years and they always work fine for me. They don't seem to be outstandingly better or worse that the Weinmann center pulls on one of my other bikes, or the Suntour Cyclone sidepulls on another, or even the 1990's Shimano cantilivers on my touring bike. I mean, they stop fine, they're not hard to adjust, and they're obviously durable. I know some people claim that they squeak, but I've never found that to be a problem. In my experience, any brake will squeak if you don't clean the rim from time to time, and the Mafacs don't seem any worse in this respect than any other brake.
What gives? I like to think of myself as an open-minded guy, and I'd be willing to give Mafac-hating a try if someone can tell me why that's a good idea. Maybe it's tied up somehow with a more general distaste for France/things French?
JV