Can you tour on a carbon road bike?

[John Nelson]

I don’t think I’d worry about the frame, but how many spokes do you have in your wheels?

[jimjamm18]

I counted and it has 24 spokes. That being said the Trek website claims the bike has a combined weight limit of 275lbs. I weight around 185 so I'm not too concerned about the wheels being able to handle it. My dad also has a Domane and is around 230 and his bike rides fine and I would be under that weight combined. Good thought though!

[RonK]

As a experienced bikepacker I can tell you it’s volume, not weight that you need to be concerned about.
Using only the bags you mentioned it’s going to be very difficult to fit in what you’ll need for a camping tour.
You’ll need to carry ultra compact everything, and will still have to make sacrifices.
But compact gear will invariably also be light. I don’t think your bike will be tested by the amount you’ll be able to carry.

[GrnMtns]

I used my 2019 Domane SL5 to ride from Vermont to Minnesota last spring, it worked great.  I had a handlebar bag and panniers on a rear rack which transferred the weight to the axle.  The gear weighed 25 pounds with about 20 on the rear, camped every night but didn't carry cooking gear.  The bike came with 28mm tires which carried the weight with no problem, handled the Erie Canal towpath. 

[jimjamm18]

Awesome. I assume you used one of those rear racks that attaches at the thru axle and clamps on the seat post.

Thanks everyone. I feel quite confident the bike will make the journey. As for gear and getting it all to fit, I will enjoy and probably hate that part, but I'll make it work.

[John Nelson]

Wider tires put less stress on the spokes. Breaking spokes on a tour is quite annoying.

[froze]

Actually, CF bikes do break, you're just not hearing about it.  I have a friend who is a bike mechanic at a large bike shop, he's been a mechanic for many years, through steel, aluminum, and now CF, and he's had a lot more CF bikes and wheels coming in broken then they ever did with any other material, it's so bad that he refuses to own a CF bike.u

https://www.roadbikereview.com/reviews/why-you-should-be-riding-steel-and-not-carbon

What happens if you're out touring in South America or wherever, and the frame or the fork does indeed crack?  No welder is going to able to help you, you will need a new frame or fork, and depending on where you're at when that happens it could be quite a daunting task to try to get somewhere where you can buy what you need.

Personally, I would buy a steel bike, if money is a problem, which not sure why since you can afford ultralight gear, but anyway, simply find a very good condition vintage used steel touring bike.  Bikes like the Schwinn Voyager series can be found for under $400 all over the place, as well as a slew of other touring bikes.  Then if a steel frame cracked it can be welded back.