My general rule regarding touring weight is this ....

Weight of bicycle + weight of gear < or = 1/2 my body weight.


I've ridden with all sorts of different weights, and have found that anything more than 1/2 my body weight is a struggle to haul around, and makes touring less enjoyable.

Have a look at my "A few other comments ..." near the bottom of this page:
http://www.machka.net/pbp2007/2007_PBPTouringGear.htm

These are comments regarding the weight of touring gear, and some of the other reasons why a person might want to travel as lightly as possible.

In addition to those comments I'll also add ... if you are planning to fly anywhere with your bicycle and gear for a tour, the lighter the better. Airlines are putting weight restrictions on how much stuff you can carry without being charged a lot more.