Removable Rack?

[Catrin]

Thanks for the advice, I will look into that combination. As far as replacement tires, I like what is on my bike so much that I thought the BGI sale would be a good time to get a spare set - they aren't cheap... I just don't want to spend much on commuting specific stuff until I see if I like/will do it. No commuter specific bike this year - that will be a winter/spring purchase if I stick with it.

Tell me about the wind, I had forgotten that 46th borders on that small airfield and it was screaming through there Sunday! I like that pretty loop down Reed, across 46th to Dandy Trail and then north back to 56th, it adds a couple of miles and is a decent warm-up. Sunday I stayed on Lafayette Rd all the way down to 56th - I like that section between 71st and 56th but that turn onto the trail is just a horrible angle - I stopped and walked that turn.

I keep forgetting how much taller than me you are - but I don't see myself as "short"...though I am

[tzvia]

I have that rack, used it before I got a bike that has rack mounts, along with their trunk bag. That trunk bag, while it was a nice idea, kinda became an issue. The bag snaps into the back of the rack with a spring action latch, and the front hooks in. That spring at the back (there is a big push button to open the latch) got weak and the bag would slide back and forth, compressing the spring (opening the latch) and it almost fell off. I had to open the mechanism and install a stronger spring. I was nervous about it after, so slid a velcro tie-wrap around the front strap loop and would loop it around the seatpost to make sure the bag would not slide back if the rear spring got weak again.

The other issue was weight. No, not the weight weenie weight (I think the Bontrager is rather light for that type of rack) but where the weight was. I was putting several days worth of lunches and a shirt and shoes in it and the weight felt rather destabilizing being up so high. I then got a bike with rack mounts and bought the Bontrager rackmount rack and panniers. With the trunk for lighter stuff like clothing, and the panniers for food, jacket and shoes, that worked much better in terms of weight distribution. But it was overall heavy.

So I weight weenied and bought one of those 'rackless' bags, the Revelate Pika. Yea it's for rackless trekking, but the idea sounded good. No heavy metal rack. It's not for dress clothes (it's a compression bag) and not for computers and stuff like that, it's for clothing. Being I take the car on Monday now and take a week's worth of food and other stuff and just need the bag for a shirt, pants, gloves and jacket, it made more sense for me. It looks like a giant black banana that's about 3 times longer than the seat. It weighs 12 oz and I can get a change of clothes and a cycling jacket in it along with the typical cycling accessories. A small bag up front carries the tubes and tools and I am done. No more racks.

[Sky King]

at risk of going a bit sideways. When I don' want a rack I use a Zimbale Saddlebag, sometimes the 7 liter and sometimes the 11 liter but you need to have eyelets on the saddle or a saddlebag clamp to attach. I like a bag that sits below my saddle, the taller ones (some of the trunk bags) or the Revelate Pika, when loaded, sit up so high I feel like I am sitting on them and then end up sliding forward on my saddle. Maybe I just have a big back end

[Catrin]

at risk of going a bit sideways. When I don' want a rack I use a Zimbale Saddlebag, sometimes the 7 liter and sometimes the 11 liter but you need to have eyelets on the saddle or a saddlebag clamp to attach. I like a bag that sits below my saddle, the taller ones (some of the trunk bags) or the Revelate Pika, when loaded, sit up so high I feel like I am sitting on them and then end up sliding forward on my saddle. Maybe I just have a big back end

This is interesting, I like the Zimbale saddlebag. I did get the rack that Winding Road recommended, and replaced my Arkel Tailrider bag (for the same price for which I sold my original). That will be fine for taking lunch but eventually I might want more and will keep this in mind. The Pika is interesting as well, byt quite a bit more expensive.