A short (6 days) tour with 8 of us staying in motels. Friend had a B.O.B. trailer and that's me with just rear panniers and a seat bag.



I think the hard thing for some to adjust to when carrying the extra weight is that you can't try to ride like you're on a fast club ride. You can't expect your bike to accelerate and climb like a 16 pound race bike when it weighs 60 pounds. If you're riding day after day with someone who is just a little faster than you are, you have to let them go.

If you can deal with that then having the extra weight won't ruin your experience, even if your bike is 100 pounds. As long as you have the gears you need and keep an open mind you can have an adventure. I've been on short tours with people who sacrifice everything to shave a pound or 2. This is ridiculous if you don't have the clothing you need or other essentials.