Touring - PANASONIC 500 upgrade to touring

Hello,

i want to go on a 1 month touring trip this summer. I can't afford to spend more than $400 for a bike.
I have a 10 speed Panasonic 500 which fits me well and is comfortable to ride.

Is it possible to upgrade this bike for touring? Possible do the following:

1. Get new wheels (how do i know if the new models will fit my bike).
right now mine are 32x630 27x1 1/4

2. Upgrade the drive train. Currently my gearing is 52/42 crankset.

if possible install a triple crankset or change some of the freewheels.

3. Change the brakes.

My main concern is how to make sure the new poarts i buy are compatible with my frame.

1) You current brakes will work with 700C wheels if you can adjust all of your brake pads 4mm lower. If not, there may be other solutions like brakes with longer reach and drop bolts.

2) Yes, generally not a problem.

3) It depends.

I don't know about that particular model, but you need to consider things like whether it has rack and fender mounts and whether it is stable enough to carry you and a load safely.


Much can be done, but it is very easy to spend a lot of money on a project like this and still end up with a less than satisfactory result.

There's no real reason to replace the wheels; 27" tires are still easy to come by, and in my experience 27" cheapies tend to be more flat-resistant than most 700c tires, probably because nobody riding 27s is really paranoid about weight. If I were you, I'd invest in a good used or old-stock mountain triple crankset, with new front derailler and possibly bottom bracket to match. If you've got a small-range freewheel in back, you'll want to swap it out for a wide-range model. You can probably get all the parts you for under $50, if you watch ebay or have a good used bike shop nearby. Add racks and some Koolstop brake pads, and go riding.

gvhbikes.com has some nice MTB triples, new old stock, for $10 - but shipping may kill the deal if you're not local to them.