Can a road bike be used for touring?

[prostiak]

Hi everyone.

I'm relatively new to road cycling and touring and have a few questions. I've began doing longer rides (75 - 100km) around my city (Ottawa) with little (maybe 10 pounds) of gear. I'm riding a Bianchi Premio (probably early 90s but in great shape) which was given to me this year but am interested in getting a real touring bike since next year I will be doing trips of longer distance, where I will need to carry considerably more gear, pretty much fully loaded. Just curious if people actually tour with road bikes or if a touring bike is absolutely essential. I've been looking at the Trek 520 since it's received great reviews from most people and it's readily available here for about $1280CAD + tax. Is that a reasonable price?

Thanks!
Brian

[boudreaux]

Hi everyone.

I'm relatively new to road cycling and touring and have a few questions. I've began doing longer rides (75 - 100km) around my city (Ottawa) with little (maybe 10 pounds) of gear. I'm riding a Bianchi Premio (probably early 90s but in great shape) which was given to me this year but am interested in getting a real touring bike since next year I will be doing trips of longer distance, where I will need to carry considerably more gear, pretty much fully loaded. Just curious if people actually tour with road bikes or if a touring bike is absolutely essential. I've been looking at the Trek 520 since it's received great reviews from most people and it's readily available here for about $1280CAD + tax. Is that a reasonable price?

Thanks!
BrianIf you want to do real heavy loaded touring,you get a bike that is right for it. Alot of folks gripe about the standard road triple crankset on the 520 and change out for smaller rings if they have hills to deal with.

[John M]

Hi everyone.

I'm relatively new to road cycling and touring and have a few questions. I've began doing longer rides (75 - 100km) around my city (Ottawa) with little (maybe 10 pounds) of gear. I'm riding a Bianchi Premio (probably early 90s but in great shape) which was given to me this year but am interested in getting a real touring bike since next year I will be doing trips of longer distance, where I will need to carry considerably more gear, pretty much fully loaded. Just curious if people actually tour with road bikes or if a touring bike is absolutely essential. I've been looking at the Trek 520 since it's received great reviews from most people and it's readily available here for about $1280CAD + tax. Is that a reasonable price?

Thanks!
Brian
People do tour with road bikes, but if you are going to carry a lot of gear on the bike the touring bike features will be appreciated as better handling adn great ease of mounting racks. One alternative to carrying all of the gear on the bike is to use a pull-behind trailer like the BOB. This avoids having to have a bike specifically designed for touring (long wheelbase, dropout eyelets, low-rider fork mounts, etc...) and when you disconnect the trailer, you have a lighter, more responsive ride. You probably would still want the low gearing of a triple though, since pulling a trailer is still work, particularly uphill.

[Patrick88]

Hi everyone.

I'm relatively new to road cycling and touring and have a few questions. I've began doing longer rides (75 - 100km) around my city (Ottawa) with little (maybe 10 pounds) of gear. I'm riding a Bianchi Premio (probably early 90s but in great shape) which was given to me this year but am interested in getting a real touring bike since next year I will be doing trips of longer distance, where I will need to carry considerably more gear, pretty much fully loaded. Just curious if people actually tour with road bikes or if a touring bike is absolutely essential. I've been looking at the Trek 520 since it's received great reviews from most people and it's readily available here for about $1280CAD + tax. Is that a reasonable price?

Thanks!
Brian
My mate managed it on a Giant OCR3. It depends on whether or not it has the ability to hold panniers or not. Some road bikes can't hold them.