Originally Posted by
John E
Disclosure: I have original Weinmanns on the Capos, Campa. sidepulls on the Bianchi, and a Mafac front / Peugeot-labeled Weinmann rear combination on the UO-8. Mafac brakes have three significant functional advantages over other centerpulls:
1) the straddle cable can be replaced with ordinary brake cable -- no proprietary double-header required;
2) the caliper's leverage can be adjusted simply by changing the length of the straddle cable (shorter for stronger braking with longer handle travel);
3) the pads' rim-strike angle can be readily adjusted.
That would be true if Racers were the only brakes that Mafac ever made. Numbers 1 and 2 are not true of Mafac Competitions or GT's. They take a double ended cable. See the diagrams of Racers. Competitions and GT's here:
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/mafac.html