Anyone know anything about disc brakes?

But yes, they look kinda cool.

Eugh, I'm going to have to work on these, aren't I?

Still, better than cantis eh

Infinitely.

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/tektro-md-c510-flat-mount-brake-caliper-mechanical-rear-839045 Megacheap alternative to Spyres? Anyone know anything about them?

Looks like single adjust, not dual.

Which is better TBH, lighter action to pull than two spring.

Too cheap not to try out, give you extra money to buy decent compressionless housing too.

I upgraded the brake pads and rotor on a B'Twin Triban RC 500 that come with Promax brakes which is pretty much inferior compared to the tektro and was pleasantly surprised at how strong it is once fitted with avid bb5 pads and Aztec circular rotor (come compressionless as standard).

The trade off would be having to adjust for pad wear?

You always have to adjust for pad wear with a mechanical brake regardless of whether the second side moves or not. If you only use the cable adjuster, you end up with a really dead-feeling brake.

So with dual action you'd have to undo the bolt tighten the cable redo the bolt. Whereas dual action would require me to also adjust the non-actuated pad with the bolt on the side? I've only briefly used mechanical disk brakes but never got on with them, this might be what I've been doing wrong.

No, with single action you adjust the fixed pad and move the caliper. With dual action you adjust both pads. You should avoid using the cable adjuster due to the change as the arm moves of the ratio between cable pull and pad movement.

No way, would have never guessed that. Thanks!

Both would require you to adjust the non actuated side, I.E. The brakes above and BB5 AND 7 AND the actuated side, 5 by pulling the cable, 7 via the red outer knob.

Which means that even though Sypres are dual actuated and even IF you set it dead center you would then adjust both sides the same to get the same dead center bite.

Do I need to do anything to my rotors when I switch from resin to metal pads other than clean them with isopropyl?

Not in my experience

Nope, would say cleaning won't even be necessary if it is not contaminated. Checking for wear would be a better thing to do.

Good clean is always a good idea, can give them a sand too but you'll get away without.

Both would require you to adjust the non actuated side, I.E. The brakes above and BB5 AND 7 AND the actuated side, 5 by pulling the cable, 7 via the red outer knob.

In regards to BB5, it's usually best to move the caliper actuated side as close as possible to the rotor, and then adjust the non-actuated side, rather than tighten up the cable on the actuated side otherwise you'll get less power.

BB7 obviously have an advantage as you said, both pads can be adjusted without touching the cable (which should always be set completely open to optimised braking power).

Do I need to do anything to my rotors when I switch from resin to metal pads other than clean them with isopropyl?

Change them if the rotor is resin-only as it is in most cases with Shimano rotor.

Also check for rotor wear, if there's a lips between the braking surface and rotor, then it time to change it.

Yup, agree that this is the way to set them, Bb5 works with the same bearing and ramp mechanism as 7s but without the adjusted knob on the actuating arm. So pretension on the cable just gives less bite as the bearings are already on the ramp before any brakes are applied.

Thanks - they’re pretty new so won’t be worn.

Thanks - they’re 9100. Fairly sure I read Ultegra and upwards are fine with metal pads.

I think many other models lower down than Ultegra are fine, but double check your specific model. I just bought a set of these, which are fine with metal or resin.

I have never fitted disc brakes before, but now I have a set of 105 hydraulic brakes and shifters which is apparently a 'fully bled system'. The hose came attached to the caliper, and has a cap at the shifter end. The shifter has a bung in it. I don't have anything else apart from plastic blocks for the calipers. Can anyone tell me which bits I need to get to shorten and connect it up?

2x olives and barbed inserts
cutting block, cutting tool?
some kind of bleed kit?

2x olives and barbed inserts

BH-59

cutting block, cutting tool?

https://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/products/tools/brake-hose-cutter/

some kind of bleed kit?

https://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/products/bleed-kits/shimano/complete-kit/

And read this: https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-BR0008-09-ENG.pdf

Thanks Amey, got everything ordered now