Generic Touring Thread

I think we'd plan to stay in B&Bs, and we wouldn't go for that long, however neither of us have touring bikes. I've got a road, TT and fixed rat bike, the GF has a road bike and SS rat. I'm a stronger rider than her so maybe I should take the Rat (which has a rear rack) and she could take her road bike. Any thoughts and tips for first time tourists?

If you're planning to stay in the UK in B&Bs, you can probably get away with not taking too much kit - for a week I'd reckon on two sets of on-bike and one set of off-bike clothes, plus a few tools, map/Garmin and a book/kindle. Pack carefully and you could probably get that into a large-ish saddlebag (like a Carradice) and a bar bag, so I wouldn't rule out a bike which doesn't have a rear rack.

Work out roughly what distance you want to cover, and try a couple of day trips before your tour to give yourself time to fine-tune your setup. Research whether any of the places you pass have bike shops, and mark them on the map in case of mechanical problems. Fit a second bottle cage on your bike and stash tools in it. Don't be afraid to cut a day short if the weather's miserable and you're hating it. Eat all the cakes you can. Enjoy!