Originally Posted by
diabloridr
All the higher-end Co-Motion tandems spec the Spyre, that was a good enough recommendation for us when were building our Macchiato.
Keep in mind that manufacturers spec their bikes for their typical customer. A team will get good results with the Spyre if they're average weight (eg. not loaded touring), don't do steep or extended descents, and ride at moderate speeds. A heavier team riding on steep terrain should use more powerful brakes (eg. Hy/Rd or full hydraulic).
Secondly, manufacturers have tight margins and must carefully spec each component to reach a target price. For example, Co-Motion's Ristretto Di2 single bike uses the Shimano 8070 hydraulic disc brake. If the Spyre was fully adequate, why spec the 8070? The answer is that it's worthwhile for an aggressive rider on the Ristretto to pay more for the extra degree of safely. Similarly, the Supremo has the option for hydraulic brake cable routing.