Barb,

I did an overnite trip this past weekend and used only rear panniers. I carried my stuff and a friends, so they were pretty weighty. (I didn't attempt to pack light. I need to get accustomed to the weight.) The bike did feel back-heavy but seemed to handle pretty well anyway. And there was plenty of space to take what we needed and more. However, I'll be doing a longer trip this summer and needing to also carry camping supplies. I'll need the extra room that front panniers will give me. Just got a front rack today and will put the bags on it tomorrow, throw some stuff in and go for an experimental ride. I am curious to see how differently the bike will handle. I do think the important thing is to balance the weight evenly side-to-side and front to back. I haven't done this before, so I'm not expert. I'll be learning as I go.......I'll keep you posted on the results.

annie