Use Road Bike for Camping?

[Grog]

I've looked at panniers and trailers on REI's web site. I guess my primary question is whether a road bike (aluminum with carbon forks and seat post) is sturdy enough for some light touring & camping. Wondering if any of you have used your lighter road bikes this way? I would like to try it out with my Bianchi before I spend $ on a second bike (such as a Trek 530 or Surly LH).

Of course it depends on your definition of "light" but frankly unless you leave for more than 2-3 days, or unless you have a tendency to pack on the heavy side (including the kitchen sink), I think sturdiness is not going to be your main concern.

However you may find that finding a rack that works for your bike is more of a challenge. Not impossible, but more challenging. Of course you could just go for a big Carradice-style saddle back with assorted support, which is probably simpler, but still not totally straightforward.

Certainly worth the effort, though, compared to shelling out minimum $1000 for a new bike.