Hi all,
I'm obsessed with the idea of bike touring and was hoping to convert my 2006 Trek 1200 road bike for touring fun. However, the more I read about touring bikes and how the bike needs to function and be set up to accommodate the stress from weight, etc., the more I'm skeptical that I can pull it off with this bike. I'm about 140 lbs and am not sure how much weight I'd be putting on the bike though I know I'd like to do some bike camping, so figure in hiking tent and sleeping bag, etc. Right now I have rear panniers to use and not sure if I'd be putting front panniers on right away, but that could be an option down the road. I don't think there's enough room in the frame to put much wider tires on, and I anticipate going on rail trails, etc. (not just paved roads).

Here's a link to the bike I have. Do you think this could work or if I should scrap the idea and focus on getting a real touring bike (that I could also use for commuting).

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2006/archive/1200

Thanks!

You could put your gear in a trailer , and the race bike would work.
its a case of any bike you can ride all day for weeks is OK.

Mods might be a lower gear for towing up hills small granny , big casette, maybe a MTB Rear derailleur
to go with the Wrap and Capacity change.

Trek 1000 and it toured quite well for several multi-week trips. I'd just change out the rear cassette for an 11/34, add a Shimano Deore rear derailleur and 25mm tires. I set up a friend's 1200 this way and he was happy with it.

I have a 91 Trek 1200 and just wanted to get fenders so I could ride after a rain. I'm not very experienced, but there appears to be no room to put them.

Using your current bike for a couple "test tours" is an excellent idea. You will find out what is really important to you... low gears, good seat, bike fit, wide tires... and you will also get some clarification on what you prefer...Rail trails, pavement, camping or credit card, cooking meals or restaurant food...

With that experience you can put your touring package together. Enjoy it all.

No, it's not a "real" touring bike, but you can tour on almost anything. I weigh 200 lbs. My road bike (a Specialized Allez) handles my weight fine. You could carry 60 lbs. of gear (a pretty huge load) and just get up to my "dry" weight. I started touring on an old 10 speed with a rear rack from Fred Meyer. I made my own panniers and bungied my tent over the top of the load. I carried my sleeping bag between the handlebars on string. The gearing wasn't very low but I was young.....

Anyway, if you want to make the Trek work, it can. Put a light rack on the back, carry a sensibly small load, and go. If you really want to do a lot of touring on a dedicated machine, buy a touring bike. Either way is a good choice.

Have fun!

You are correct; there is not an easy way to put fenders on an 1000,1200 etc. I have them on my Trek 1000, which is my commuter bike, but it was not easy. I have replaced the fork and my present fork does not have eyelets.

This is one solution, but not optimal.

https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...62&category=78

if money isn't an issue and you are set on needing a couple pannier loads worth of stuff AND you plan on riding on dirt roads I'd get a touring bike just so you could get 32mm tires. What you have going for you is your light weight. If you can get 28mm tires on there consider a rear rack load w/o panniers and a front load that is either strapped under the bars or on some kind of mini-rack that doesn't have to require clamps on the carbon forks. The bike can take the weight the issue is distributing the weight forward so things don't get wiggly at high speed. I'd be inclined to try out a compression stuff sack that is turned into a handlebar bag by sewing on four velcro straps which are strapped around the brake hoods and the drops.

The problem with 25mm tires AND weight is that it's not optimum for dirt roads. When I weighed 145lbs I had a touring bike with 1 1/8" tire on the front and 1 1/4 on the rear and it was perfectly fine over hard backed dirt roads. Once you start getting into wash board surfaces, lots of rocks and ruts you really need fatter tires. Think of it this way, a 175lb rider can go over some crappy surfaces with 28mm tires because he can unweight on the bumps and the weight is in the pedals then split to the wheels. If a 140lb rider puts on 35lbs on the rear wheel that 35lbs can't unweight or pivot around the bottom bracket like a 175lb rider so you're more likely to get pinch flats and rim damage.

I use this frame for road touring.The original wheels quickly suffered broken spokes (fell apart) and were replaced but I still use the original changers, derailler, front changer and brakes - all the other bits wore out and have been replaced. You can only big up the tyres to 28c. The frame and forks are perfectly fine after around 30k km of rear pannier only loaded trips, always in the mountains.

This is all so helpful - thank you everybody! I feel more confidence about making this work now.