Touring - Converting a Road bike to a Temporary Touring Bike

It is a long term goal of mine to do some long tours. When I do that I hope to have built a proper touring bike. But in the mean time I want to get some experience and explore parts of Ontario I haven't been to.

So I have a 2008 Scott Speedster which I use for unloaded touring and triathlons.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1670017/agxiaWtlcmVnaXN0ZXJyDQsSBEJpa2UYtbD0AQw.jpg

Would I be able to just put on a rear wrack and some panniers and head out or is it more complicated than that? What would the maximum weight be do you think (im about 180lbs)?

http://www.ebikestop.com/topeak_beam_rack_mtx_v_type_for_large_frames-RK2541.php

http://www.ebikestop.com/topeak_dual_side_frame_mtx_quick_mount-RK2544.php

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/502%20Mi%20Tour/IMG_2993.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/TMT%20BB%20Ride/t.jpg

$.02 is to reduce your touring load down to a non pannier load so that most of your gear can sit on the rear rack and distributed forward into a compression sack tied under the aero handlebars. If you need more get a couple of 13l. dry sacks and strap them on the side of the rack as kind of mini-panniers. This will get you used to traveling with the lightest load and not overloading your rear wheel. Then when you get the uber touring bike you can load it up. Can you get 28mm tires on there?

Me too Lazy - I plan to use a Specialized Sequoia to run the Missouri Katy Trail in October. It's not really built for such antics, so my solution is to tow a trailer. Aside from that, I will put on sturdier wheels (HINT: Looking to buy some used 35+ spoke 700c wheels) and trail-suitable tires. Not much to do, really.

+1, add a trailer, I like 2 wheel ones myself, for the utility hauling around town,
between tours..

If you have one, a mountain bike is a better platform for a temporary touring bike, if you want to carry any camping gear. Better b/c of sturdier wheels and lower gearing. If you have a triple on that speedster (can't tell from the picture) you might be OK.

Pack light, have fun!

I would say it's easier to find a 80's 90's Mtn Bike with no suspension, sturdy 36 spoke wheels, triple gears with large cassette, tough frames. Replace the off road tires with 85PSI road tires, rear rack, bars to suit. and then strap on as much gear and you can handle, keeping your road bike intact.

Here is the bike I used until I got a tour bike, kind of converted it into a grocery getter now. It was a garage sale find 10 bucks. tires were about 100 and the rest was stuff laying around. In many ways I still prefer riding the KHS with the shorter quicker feel. Made a very nice converted bike.

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/47633/2092738600037547136S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2092738600037547136KqEEVc)

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah its triple on the front and 10 on the rear, 32 spoke wheels. If I do it I would definitely be packing light!

Rims say 700C, 622 x 14. Tires say 700x23C. That means the rims are 14mm wide and the tires are 23mm? right? So I guess 28mm would be pushing it a bit?

I also have an old CCM Surpeme (~80s), with 27", 36 spoke wheels. I am in the process of replacing the spokes on that, and I would like some drop handlebars. Would that be better suited for touring? It only has a double on the front and a 5s freewheel on the back

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/502%20Mi%20Tour/IMG_2993.jpg

What do you call those bags in the middle of the frame?

and what kind of handlebar bag do you have? the ones I have seen are square and protrude out more...

Last year on my Raleigh R700 I pulled a YAK BOB trailer and I had installed a rear rack which I had some light panniers. My Raleigh had rear eyelets at the quick release location, but nothing up on top near the seat. I found a seat clamp which also provided upper eyelets for a rear rack.

Your Scott probably doesn't have either the top or bottom eyelets. This seat post clamp will fill the bill for the upper rack mount point...the bottom eyelets you'll have to figure out, maybe some rubber insulated clamps of some sort?

A standard rear rack can handle far more weight than a post mounted rack. This might be an option for you.

Oh yeah, my R700 didn't make it. The steering head tube developed a crack, which made it impossible to keep my fork tight. After 1000 miles I was done and had to abandon my trip. I have since bitten the bullet and purchased a Surly LHT. She's taking me across again in 2012.

I recently converted my wife's 2002 Cannondale Road Warrior for short credit card tours. It's a road bike with drop bars and a triple. It has no eyelets, so I put on an Old Man Mountain Sherpa rear rack (https://www.workbycycle.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=25) that can mount to almost any bike. I also put on 48-38-26 tooth chain rings, and a 11-32 tooth cassette. I used a steer tube extender to raise her stem for a more upright riding position. We went for our first overnighter this past weekend (90 total miles). She carried one pannier and a large seat bag, and felt she would have no problem with a second pannier and a handle bar bag. She loved the ride and we had a great time. Road bikes can definitely be converted to light tourers. I'd just be careful not to load it up too much.

I had to put a rack on a friend's racing bike, converted for commuting. No eyelets top or bottom so I used the Tubus seatstay clampset (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tubus-clamp-set-for-seat-stay-mounting/) . As the stays had a different diameter at the top mount from that of the bottom I had to be careful as to what size clampset I used, it was also a little finnicky setting up the clamps, bending to the stays and bolting in but once mounted were solid. The clampsets use two bolts per clamp, one secures the clamp on the stay, the other the rack and this means that you can remove the rack anytime but leave the clamps in place. Stronger than the old P-brackets. This setup is still going strong, the weakest part of the upgrade was the rack itself.