A touring bike is a bike designed for traveling long distance while carrying a load, which might include camping gear; it might be built with slightly heavier tubing than a racing bike; it might have lower gearing and longer chainstays; it might have brazed on eyelets for racks and three water bottles. However a specialized touring bike is not necessary to tour. My first tour was with a simple ten speed that I used to ride to work. I simply added a rack for rear panniers and a handlebar bag and rode up from Boston to Portland and took the ferry to Nova Scotia and toured.

I've met touring cyclists who rode English three speed roadsters, racing bikes, Schwinn Varsities, mountain bikes and other bikes.

Don't worry about the equipment, just ride and have fun.