Hey - congrats, and welcome to the commuting club! Riding to work is a great way to start the day, and a great unwinding tool at the end of the day.

Your bike looks like it can handle a rear rack without a problem. If that's true, I'd recommend switching to using a single rear pannier instead of hauling your stuff on your back. I know it's lopsided, but I find that one rear pannier with just the stuff I need for the day isn't heavy enough to get in my way from a bike handling standpoint. And I know I'd be unhappy with everything on my back.

--- Denise