Originally Posted by Retro Grouch

Just what do you mean when you say "centerpull brakes"?

If the brake arms attach to the fork on each side, you have "cantilever brakes." Many people still use cantilever brakes and some might even argue they are the best. They tend to be a little harder to set up than some other designs. To remove youw wheel with cantilever brakes, you squeeze the brake together with your hand and remove the straddle cable from one of the arms.

If the brake is one piece that attaches to the fork crown and brake bridge, you have a very old bike with true centerpull brakes. They are pretty hard to keep one arm from dragging the rim so I like the newer caliper designs much better. You can also remove the straddle cable from one arm to change the wheel, but it's harder to do than with cantilevers.

There is also a U-Brake design that some people call center pulls. Most often you see these mounted near the bottom bracket on the chain stays.