Originally Posted by
joel1952
Debating whether cantilevers are "fine" or "a viable option".is fine for experienced riders who are willing to ride with wholly outdated brakes.
The OP asked a noob question. He wants to tour, not ride around the block. He could find himself on a 2 mile long 6% decent.. He asked if he should upgrade. Under the circumstances, it would be irresponsible to tell a noob that he is ok with cantilevers.
I've toured thousands of miles on a 1983 Trek 720, fully loaded, and when on a long downhill (with more than 6% grade) the cantilever brakes work fantastic. For touring under load, raw stopping power is what you want. That's why they put cantis (or now V-brakes) on serious touring bikes. Rivendell Atlantis, Surly Long Haul Trucker, or any bike you might select to do ACTUAL touring, have rim brakes. I know the Trek 520 has disks, but that's no longer considered a serious touring bike.