From my research these appear to be essentially equivalent to the Shimano Tiagra BR-4600, and these are very similar to the Shimano 105 BR-5700. However I have seen in a few places that people say that they are a long drop brake. Apparently this is suited to bikes that have mudguards fitted.
To work this out, you can have a look at the interchangeability of the BR-R561 with the BR-4600, most items are identical apart from the a 2mm spacer, and the brake pads.
Download the exploded view (EV) from Shimano :
I have been running the BR-5700 on my full 105 groupset with no issues. I can’t say they blew my mind away when I started using them compared to a basic Tektro brake on my previous bike. I am curious to see if I can notice anything with the BR-R561 on my new bike. I would be surprised as I am just a commuter.
UPDATE
No issues with the brakes. Can’t notice any difference from the previous 105 on the previous bike. Feel is fine stops fine in all conditions. Pretty confident they will do what they need for commuting.
Things to consider:
- Brake pads.
- Lever.
- Rim.
- Weight.
Personally, I think that the pad itself is more important for the overall stopping ability, particularly on rim variants . Everything else can be top notch, cheap or wrong pad, forget it. Average components, top brake pad, still good braking.
In this comparison it is a very much “how does it roughly feel”. Rim is different, lever is different and they are all contributors to the overall braking experience.
I’d say unless you are a pro chasing ultimate feel and weight savings, keeping the BR-R561 if it came with the bike will keep you happy for your average rider.