[wine]

What are the signs of the brakes needing bleeding?

Can I replace the rear wheel cylinders then drive the car to the shop and have them bleed the brakes?

 

[IanH]

Well it depends !!!
If you fill the master cylinder and then put some plastic sheet under the cap to seal it so the fluid does not empty when you disconnect everything, button the hoses back up and remove the plastic, refill the reservoir.
And then open the cylinder bleed valve and let the air out, it can be slow.
Then re-fill again and test the brake pedal. If it feels normal you can drive it. If not then you will have top bleed it properly.