Originally Posted by
chasm54
You don't eff up a bike by using saddlebags, they are detachable, remember? And a Brooks swift with Ti rails, such as I use, isn't a heavy saddle. Touring on road bikes is fun, it doesn't do them any harm or make them less like a road bike.
I use a full on expedition tourer when I need its load-carrying and other qualities. When I don't, I use whichever bike seems suitable to the conditions and will make the journey the most fun.
Lower gears, a brooks saddle, heavy wheels, a non-carbon seatpost - all of a sudden you've added at LEAST 2 pounds to the bike. And lowering the gears will mess it up as a road bike, unless you never want to go fast/pedal down hill.
According to Brook's web site, the Ti Swift is 390 grams (my Toupe is 180).
I don't have any objection to re-purposing a road bike for touring, but I think you need to use the right tool for the job, and it's a little weird to BUY a bike that doesn't really match your needs then tweak it out. If he had the Roubaix already I would be in the "go for it" camp.
That Roubaix would be great with 10 pounds on it for a CC tour, but leave the basic bike alone to fulfill it's destiny as a fun light century bike. Once you start changing wheels & gears, your turning it into frankenbike. If you keep the original equipment, and only swap out to the touring stuff for while you are touring, that would be better.
Nun, it's your bike of course, and your money, do what you want, I think you could probably modify that bike enough to make it acceptable for touring. BUt I stand by my original statement - modding it too much will make it a lot less fun as a road bike. Also, if I was going to make a sport/light tour bike, I would start with a titanium frame.