Originally Posted by
bark_eater
...
I've taken a Trek 728 on a unloaded joy ride and it had a nice springy ride with 230 pounds of me in the saddle, I'm not sure how it would handle another 40 pounds of gear, or the extra 20 pounds of Covid weight...
The Trek 728 frame is the same as a 720. Or more correctly, the Trek 720 was built off a 728 frame. If you wanted just the frame you'd order a 728 but when Trek delivered it as a complete bike, they called it a 720. That was in 1982, and in '83 afterward it was just called the 720. So, a Trek 728 frame will handle just about anything you can throw at it, same as a 720.
I had a second set of super-light road wheels built for my 720, for when I wasn't touring on it. It handled great as a road bike - very responsive and fun to ride. Obviously not as light and fast as a "real" road bike, but it made up for it in comfort. I could stay on that bike all day long.