ksheuk

Can I use this as a touring bike? Is there anything specific that separates touring bikes from road bikes?
Besides the usual rack and panniers, is there anything special I might need?

Thanks,

KS

cyccommute 

You might be able to use it as a touring bike but you might not be satisfied with the result. The R200 is from 1998 so I couldn't find exact specs but the R500 is probably close. Look at the Cannondale website and do some comparison of the R500 to the T800. The R500 has short chainstays (about 2 inches shorter) then the T800. Stays that short will mean that you are likely to clip a set of panniers on every revolution of the pedals. This can become very annoying in only a short while.

Also because the R500 is short it is like a Austin-Healy Sprite. Corners fast, accelerates fast, handles well and is a blast to ride. A touring bike is more like a Cadillac. It's powerful and handles well but is smoother and more comfortable and more predictable over a long drive. Put a bunch of gear on the touring bike and it will go for ages and still be comfortable. Put a bunch of gear on the R500 and the quick handling may become too much to handle.

I've ridden "sport touring" bikes with a load and trust me, they aren't dream machines! One of the scariest rides I have ever done was on a Univega Sportour coming down Crow Hill in Colorado. This is a 50 mph downhill and, loaded with a week's worth of gear, it was all I could do to control that bike! I've done similar tours on real touring bikes and fast downhills are no problem.