Reddit mentions: The best bike racks & bags

Huge reply inbound!
Kit:
These MWave panniers are fine. I put a large dry bag inside it and it worked great. Frustratingly these only come in left (there is slight shape to help add heel clearance), but you could absolutely have them on both sides without a problem. MWave also makes a double pannier but it doesn't fasten very securely and this is a large problem. I am sure you could probably figure something out, though. Just make sure it isn't too hard to remove them.

I had the cheap Nashbar front panniers which are okay and I would recommend for a not multi-continent trip. The thing though is that they really were unnecessary. Even if you take a fair bit more stuff than you need you should still be able to fit it all in your rear panniers and your cargo rack. If you really insist on taking a ridiculous amount of equipment then take front panniers, but don't take a ridiculous amount of equipment to begin with.

If (like me) you have a cheap sleeping bag and roll mat, these things will be very, very bulky. You will be envious of the people with the $200 roll mats and $700 down sleeping bags. Those things really are nice. They probably store both of those things in a third of a pannier. If you were to store your bulky equivalents in a pannier it would take up the whole thing, so don't do that. I got a large dry bag (get a heavy duty one, like for kayaking) that my sleeping bag and roll mat would fit in. Also get a dry bag for your tent and store that also on your cargo rack. I kept my rain kit in a small dry bag also with these two on my cargo rack, and everything else was in my panniers. Fastening these three dry bags sideways (perpendicular) to my cargo rack with bungees worked very well. I started out without the dry bag for my sleeping bag or tent and brought along a tarp to put over them in case it rained as you can see here which was a terrible idea. Definitely just take dry bags.

Also, a huge plus side of your ridiculously big dry bag with your sleeping bag and roll mat inside-that garners significant sneering from all the equipment snobs-is that it makes for a fantastic camp seat. So neener.
I will highly advise that you spend some money on a couple merino wool shirts and ideally socks as well. And ideally a light hoodie or jacket or something. Basically, you can never have enough merino. The Clymb has amazing deals very often. Merino is a luxury, but it'll make a very large difference. And then you'll find yourself wearing it all the time when you get home, too, and wondering why you own any clothes that aren't merino. (I'm trying to answer this question myself.)

My tent is actually a 6x4 children's tent. I fit all my six foot three of me in it diagonally. It weighs about three pounds, which is rather spectacularly light for a cheap tent- I'd have to spent quite a bit more to get a 'real' tent that weighed so little. In the US, Academy Sports seems to have exceptionally cheap tents that are adequate quality. Just make sure it either has a rain fly or you have a tarp or some means of keeping dry.

Fear of getting lost:
When I started my trip I was terrified of this, and was enormously glad to be going along with a well toured friend. My fear was completely unfounded. Like /u/DannyPinn said, just go, and you'll quickly get very comfortable with it.

If you're in a not remote place than you have lots of people and tools to be able to figure it out. If you are in a remote place than there's probably only one route to go anyway, and the people will be way more willing to help you and give you their time. Also, if you're using Warm Showers (why wouldn't you??) then you'll be getting the best advice possible for free from your kind hosts. Well, I would bring them a bottle of wine or something, but for nearly free anyway.

And the thing that should make you the most comfortable is that people love touring cyclists. We are the opposite of hitch hikers in that regard- people want to spend time with us, have us stay the night at theirs just so they can figure out why the hell we're doing this, and generally are enormously enamored with the idea and think we're crazy. People will help you if you let them. A lot. I could not and still cannot comprehend the amount of generosity I received. This incomprehensible never ending string of intense kindness from strangers that I experienced last Summer was one of the most perspective and life changing experiences I have had in my life. People will take care of you. Don't worry, be happy. =)


Edit:
Forgot to mention some things.
Rain gear: If you anticipate that you will be in rain you absolutely need overshoes. Everyone I have met has disliked their overshoes and found them not very functional. I have these ones and they are absolutely fantastic. They don't let any water in at all.

I bought super cheap rain pants and a jacket. The advantage of the ones that don't even try to be breathable is that they truly are water proof, but cycling in them is hell. If you try to compromise and get cheap, breathable waterproofs you will find that they are neither very breathable or very waterproof. If you are doing a Summer tour in a dry place these are probably fine. If you anticipate downpours than you need to decide if you want to be miserably moist and hot inside impermeable waterproofs or if you want to fork out the hundreds of dollars for Gore Tex. Whatever you choose, never buy a waterproof that also is a jacket. Always buy liners. If you need extra warmth wear an extra jacket. Jackets that are both waterproof liners and thermal insulation are silly and destroy the layering principle. I see these in outdoors stores a lot, but I never see outdoors people wearing them. I guess urban guppies buy them or something, because I've never seen anyone actually using one.

Pedals/shoes:
I started out my tour completely sold on clipless pedals. I had been using them for several years, and I still love them for road cycling. I will not be taking them on another tour, however. At the pace that you will be cycling most of the time they will not give you any benefit, and the disadvantage of needing another pair of shoes is actually a very high cost for touring cyclists. Shoes are bulky.

In my opinion water resistant approach shoes with large flat pedals is the best choice. However, if I were doing a summertime tour through Baja California or something like that I would probably just take some Chucks(read: whatever shoes you're comfortable walking around all day in).

>Running errands: Right now, I take my bike to the grocery store 60% of the time. But an average bike right off the sales floor isn’t equipped for hauling even a small amount of groceries, and if you don’t want to ride back home with your knees banging the shopping bags hanging from your handlebars, you’ll need to add some accessories to your bike before biking your groceries home isn’t a gigantic pain in the ass.
>
> Rack: Pretty simple. Putting a rack on your bike massively extends its utility. You can hang a pannier (more on them later) from the rack instead of using a backpack, keeping your back sweat-free. With the addidion of a bungee cord or more permanent strap system, you can hold things on top of it. If your bike has disc brakes, you may need a wider rack to accommodate the extra wide axle. Also, some bikes with unusual geometry may require extra-long bars for installing the rack. This and the folding basket below are probably the trickiest accessories to install, and where you might be better off having them professionally installed.
>
> Folding basket: This was a major piece of the puzzle for me. I didn’t want my bike permanently widened out with a pair of baskets off the rack. But I also wanted to be prepared to stop and do some shopping on my way home without worrying about how I would carry everything. The folding rack was the perfect solution. When I need it, it unfolds in a couple seconds and I can put stuff in it. When I don’t need it, or space is tight, it folds up quickly and it’s more or less unnoticeable off the side of my bike. It means I can make unexpected stops while on my bike to pick up a few things without having to double back in my car later. I have this Wald one, and it’s very nice. It was quite a pain to install though. Be prepared for a bit of frustration if you go the DIY route. This was the one part of these accessory installs that I used a power tool.
>
> Pannier: I mentioned this one a bit under weather. The one I have and love is this Banjo Brothers waterproof pannier and backpack. It nearly effortlessly turns from one to the other and since it’s waterproof I can take it every time. The first time I biked to a shopping mall, locked my bike up, and turned my pannier to a backpack and went shopping, I felt like a goddamn superhero. This flexibility takes a lot of anxiety out of running errands on my bike.
>
> Water bottle cages: Pretty self-explanatory. Carry water with you when you bike. I have 2 mounted, one on the down tube at a diagonal, and one on the seat tube vertical. I can carry my coffee mug in there without spilling too much. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your second cup of coffee just because you want to bike in.
>
> Compact shopping bags: Not really sure what to call these, other than the brand name I know, Chico Bags. They fold up into a small size and unfold quickly. You can get sling ones to go over your shoulder, or the smaller ones easily go into the folding basket. Just a good thing to with you for unexpected stops.
>
> Kickstand: A lot of people are surprised when bikes don’t automatically come with kickstands. And for a lot of people, a kickstand doesn’t make sense for the kind of riding they do. I am using my bike to commute, and am more interested in convenience than weight. I got a two-legged kickstand for added stability. Keep in mind, not every single bike will accept every kickstand. If you get one with a top plate like this standard one that every bike store carries, it will work for 90% of the bikes you would expect to take a kickstand. If you bought a $5,000 tri bike with areo bars and bladed spokes for reduced wind drag, you’re not going to get a kickstand on there, sorry. Also, kickstands come in a set length and may need to be cut down with a hacksaw to fit your bike. You should be able to turn the handlebars all the way from left to right without the bike falling over. If you don’t feel comfortable measuring and cutting a kickstand, consider taking it to a bike shop.
>
>Clothing/comfort: A pair of cushioned bike shorts makes a ride a lot more enjoyable. But they’re also a lot less comfortable for anything else you’re doing. Unless you’re going to bring a change of clothes with you, bike shorts aren’t a practical piece of attire once you step off your bike. It’s not necessary to get spandexed up to ride the bike, but casual clothing does present some barriers to biking. Here’s a couple common issues and how I address them.
>
> Comfortable saddle: We’re not talking about a carbon fiber road bike with skinny tires and aero bars here, we’re talking about a commuter bike. Hopefully you figured that out while installing the fenders, rack and folding basket. Saddles come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. And second only to making sure you have the right sized bike, this is the single most important element for your comfort. Find a saddle that makes sense for the type of riding you do, and if that means it’s a gel-cushioned saddle, then go for it. Find one that doesn’t rely on the cushioned posterior of bike shorts to let you ride comfortably.
>
> Pedals/Shoes: This is a big one. If I had to stop and consider what kind of shoes I’m wearing when deciding to ride or drive, it would cut down my biking drastically. Here’s a secret: most bikes are sold with the cheapest pedals available. Even fancy bike shop bikes are shipped with cheapo pedals. Some, like $5,000 road bikes, aren’t shipped with any pedals at all, because they know that pedals are one of the first things serious riders replace. That means if you haven’t installed new pedals, your bike is probably equipped with cheap pedals that aren’t designed for the kind of riding you do or the shoes you will wear. Sometimes, just upgrading to a pair or metal pedals with more grip might do the trick. There are also systems with toe cages that will let you strap your feet in. I find these to be more of a pain than they’re worth. If you’re not going to strap your feet in for every ride, they’re a hassle as the added weight makes the cages naturally hang upside down. There’s also clipless systems, but those involve special shoes and cleat systems which are more complicated than the type of riding we’re discussing here. If you’ve ever seen someone in biker gear in the store or coffee shop and they click with every step like they’re wearing horseshoes, those are clipless shoes.
>
>What I recommend is a platform pedal like these I have a similar pair on my bike. They work and feel just like a normal bike pedal. Designed for winter adventure biking, the large pins grip effortlessly onto every kind of shoe for an effortless connection. I can ride my bike while wearing my heavy-duty safety toe boots without any problems. Some of the ones I saw on Amazon are just as cheap as any other pair of pedals. I would recommend at least getting metal ones.
>
>Pedals come in two standards, ½” and 9/16”. This measurement is the diameter of the spindle that screws into your crank. Kid’s bikes and BMX bikes are usually ½”, adult bikes are almost always 9/16”. Make sure the pedals you get are the correct spindle size. Swapping out pedals is fairly easy, every pedal I encountered will come off with either a 15mm wrench or 6mm Allen wrench. One thing to watch out for is the left pedal is reverse threaded. It will unscrew to the right and tighten to the left. Remember it with this simple mnemonic: Your left foot goes on the left pedal and it tightens to the left. Any pair of pedals you get will have the left and right clearly marked. Double-check it before installation to avoid an expensive problem.
>
>* Outerwear: Naturally the weather will be a bigger impact on your day if you’re biking rather than driving. Nice days are nicer, bad weather days are worse, and even the moderate days can be a bit challenging when you’re kitting up for some bike-based errands. If it’s one of those days where you can’t decide on short or long sleeves, biking can make these decisions even more difficult. Chilly days get chillier once you start pedaling at 10-15 miles per hour, but bundle up too much and you can overheat. The real problem here is the wind of your own passage. A fluffy sweatshirt can keep you warm when you’re walking along, but wind can blow right through it. I recommend a light windbreaker like this one I found in REI’s Outlet. It will keep the wind off, but is light enough to keep you from overheating on those days where the sun is playing peekaboo. An added benefit of paying a bit more for bike specific gear is they’re often designed with high-visibility stripes for extra safety. It’s far from fashionable, but you can get a hi-vis vest pretty cheap. They’re lightweight to not really impact your ride and can be easily stowed if you want to stop catching everyone’s eye once you step off your bike.
>

>Running errands: Right now, I take my bike to the grocery store 60% of the time. But an average bike right off the sales floor isn’t equipped for hauling even a small amount of groceries, and if you don’t want to ride back home with your knees banging the shopping bags hanging from your handlebars, you’ll need to add some accessories to your bike before biking your groceries home isn’t a gigantic pain in the ass.
>
> Rack: Pretty simple. Putting a rack on your bike massively extends its utility. You can hang a pannier (more on them later) from the rack instead of using a backpack, keeping your back sweat-free. With the addidion of a bungee cord or more permanent strap system, you can hold things on top of it. If your bike has disc brakes, you may need a wider rack to accommodate the extra wide axle. Also, some bikes with unusual geometry may require extra-long bars for installing the rack. This and the folding basket below are probably the trickiest accessories to install, and where you might be better off having them professionally installed.
>
> Folding basket: This was a major piece of the puzzle for me. I didn’t want my bike permanently widened out with a pair of baskets off the rack. But I also wanted to be prepared to stop and do some shopping on my way home without worrying about how I would carry everything. The folding rack was the perfect solution. When I need it, it unfolds in a couple seconds and I can put stuff in it. When I don’t need it, or space is tight, it folds up quickly and it’s more or less unnoticeable off the side of my bike. It means I can make unexpected stops while on my bike to pick up a few things without having to double back in my car later. I have this Wald one, and it’s very nice. It was quite a pain to install though. Be prepared for a bit of frustration if you go the DIY route. This was the one part of these accessory installs that I used a power tool.
>
> Pannier: I mentioned this one a bit under weather. The one I have and love is this Banjo Brothers waterproof pannier and backpack. It nearly effortlessly turns from one to the other and since it’s waterproof I can take it every time. The first time I biked to a shopping mall, locked my bike up, and turned my pannier to a backpack and went shopping, I felt like a goddamn superhero. This flexibility takes a lot of anxiety out of running errands on my bike.
>
> Water bottle cages: Pretty self-explanatory. Carry water with you when you bike. I have 2 mounted, one on the down tube at a diagonal, and one on the seat tube vertical. I can carry my coffee mug in there without spilling too much. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your second cup of coffee just because you want to bike in.
>
> Compact shopping bags: Not really sure what to call these, other than the brand name I know, Chico Bags. They fold up into a small size and unfold quickly. You can get sling ones to go over your shoulder, or the smaller ones easily go into the folding basket. Just a good thing to with you for unexpected stops.
>
> Kickstand: A lot of people are surprised when bikes don’t automatically come with kickstands. And for a lot of people, a kickstand doesn’t make sense for the kind of riding they do. I am using my bike to commute, and am more interested in convenience than weight. I got a two-legged kickstand for added stability. Keep in mind, not every single bike will accept every kickstand. If you get one with a top plate like this standard one that every bike store carries, it will work for 90% of the bikes you would expect to take a kickstand. If you bought a $5,000 tri bike with areo bars and bladed spokes for reduced wind drag, you’re not going to get a kickstand on there, sorry. Also, kickstands come in a set length and may need to be cut down with a hacksaw to fit your bike. You should be able to turn the handlebars all the way from left to right without the bike falling over. If you don’t feel comfortable measuring and cutting a kickstand, consider taking it to a bike shop.
>
>Clothing/comfort: A pair of cushioned bike shorts makes a ride a lot more enjoyable. But they’re also a lot less comfortable for anything else you’re doing. Unless you’re going to bring a change of clothes with you, bike shorts aren’t a practical piece of attire once you step off your bike. It’s not necessary to get spandexed up to ride the bike, but casual clothing does present some barriers to biking. Here’s a couple common issues and how I address them.
>
> Comfortable saddle: We’re not talking about a carbon fiber road bike with skinny tires and aero bars here, we’re talking about a commuter bike. Hopefully you figured that out while installing the fenders, rack and folding basket. Saddles come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. And second only to making sure you have the right sized bike, this is the single most important element for your comfort. Find a saddle that makes sense for the type of riding you do, and if that means it’s a gel-cushioned saddle, then go for it. Find one that doesn’t rely on the cushioned posterior of bike shorts to let you ride comfortably.
>
> Pedals/Shoes: This is a big one. If I had to stop and consider what kind of shoes I’m wearing when deciding to ride or drive, it would cut down my biking drastically. Here’s a secret: most bikes are sold with the cheapest pedals available. Even fancy bike shop bikes are shipped with cheapo pedals. Some, like $5,000 road bikes, aren’t shipped with any pedals at all, because they know that pedals are one of the first things serious riders replace. That means if you haven’t installed new pedals, your bike is probably equipped with cheap pedals that aren’t designed for the kind of riding you do or the shoes you will wear. Sometimes, just upgrading to a pair or metal pedals with more grip might do the trick. There are also systems with toe cages that will let you strap your feet in. I find these to be more of a pain than they’re worth. If you’re not going to strap your feet in for every ride, they’re a hassle as the added weight makes the cages naturally hang upside down. There’s also clipless systems, but those involve special shoes and cleat systems which are more complicated than the type of riding we’re discussing here. If you’ve ever seen someone in biker gear in the store or coffee shop and they click with every step like they’re wearing horseshoes, those are clipless shoes.
>
>What I recommend is a platform pedal like these I have a similar pair on my bike. They work and feel just like a normal bike pedal. Designed for winter adventure biking, the large pins grip effortlessly onto every kind of shoe for an effortless connection. I can ride my bike while wearing my heavy-duty safety toe boots without any problems. Some of the ones I saw on Amazon are just as cheap as any other pair of pedals. I would recommend at least getting metal ones.
>
>Pedals come in two standards, ½” and 9/16”. This measurement is the diameter of the spindle that screws into your crank. Kid’s bikes and BMX bikes are usually ½”, adult bikes are almost always 9/16”. Make sure the pedals you get are the correct spindle size. Swapping out pedals is fairly easy, every pedal I encountered will come off with either a 15mm wrench or 6mm Allen wrench. One thing to watch out for is the left pedal is reverse threaded. It will unscrew to the right and tighten to the left. Remember it with this simple mnemonic: Your left foot goes on the left pedal and it tightens to the left. Any pair of pedals you get will have the left and right clearly marked. Double-check it before installation to avoid an expensive problem.
>
>* Outerwear: Naturally the weather will be a bigger impact on your day if you’re biking rather than driving. Nice days are nicer, bad weather days are worse, and even the moderate days can be a bit challenging when you’re kitting up for some bike-based errands. If it’s one of those days where you can’t decide on short or long sleeves, biking can make these decisions even more difficult. Chilly days get chillier once you start pedaling at 10-15 miles per hour, but bundle up too much and you can overheat. The real problem here is the wind of your own passage. A fluffy sweatshirt can keep you warm when you’re walking along, but wind can blow right through it. I recommend a light windbreaker like this one I found in REI’s Outlet. It will keep the wind off, but is light enough to keep you from overheating on those days where the sun is playing peekaboo. An added benefit of paying a bit more for bike specific gear is they’re often designed with high-visibility stripes for extra safety. It’s far from fashionable, but you can get a hi-vis vest pretty cheap. They’re lightweight to not really impact your ride and can be easily stowed if you want to stop catching everyone’s eye once you step off your bike.
>

>Running errands: Right now, I take my bike to the grocery store 60% of the time. But an average bike right off the sales floor isn’t equipped for hauling even a small amount of groceries, and if you don’t want to ride back home with your knees banging the shopping bags hanging from your handlebars, you’ll need to add some accessories to your bike before biking your groceries home isn’t a gigantic pain in the ass.
>
> Rack: Pretty simple. Putting a rack on your bike massively extends its utility. You can hang a pannier (more on them later) from the rack instead of using a backpack, keeping your back sweat-free. With the addidion of a bungee cord or more permanent strap system, you can hold things on top of it. If your bike has disc brakes, you may need a wider rack to accommodate the extra wide axle. Also, some bikes with unusual geometry may require extra-long bars for installing the rack. This and the folding basket below are probably the trickiest accessories to install, and where you might be better off having them professionally installed.
>
> Folding basket: This was a major piece of the puzzle for me. I didn’t want my bike permanently widened out with a pair of baskets off the rack. But I also wanted to be prepared to stop and do some shopping on my way home without worrying about how I would carry everything. The folding rack was the perfect solution. When I need it, it unfolds in a couple seconds and I can put stuff in it. When I don’t need it, or space is tight, it folds up quickly and it’s more or less unnoticeable off the side of my bike. It means I can make unexpected stops while on my bike to pick up a few things without having to double back in my car later. I have this Wald one, and it’s very nice. It was quite a pain to install though. Be prepared for a bit of frustration if you go the DIY route. This was the one part of these accessory installs that I used a power tool.
>
> Pannier: I mentioned this one a bit under weather. The one I have and love is this Banjo Brothers waterproof pannier and backpack. It nearly effortlessly turns from one to the other and since it’s waterproof I can take it every time. The first time I biked to a shopping mall, locked my bike up, and turned my pannier to a backpack and went shopping, I felt like a goddamn superhero. This flexibility takes a lot of anxiety out of running errands on my bike.
>
> Water bottle cages: Pretty self-explanatory. Carry water with you when you bike. I have 2 mounted, one on the down tube at a diagonal, and one on the seat tube vertical. I can carry my coffee mug in there without spilling too much. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your second cup of coffee just because you want to bike in.
>
> Compact shopping bags: Not really sure what to call these, other than the brand name I know, Chico Bags. They fold up into a small size and unfold quickly. You can get sling ones to go over your shoulder, or the smaller ones easily go into the folding basket. Just a good thing to with you for unexpected stops.
>
> Kickstand: A lot of people are surprised when bikes don’t automatically come with kickstands. And for a lot of people, a kickstand doesn’t make sense for the kind of riding they do. I am using my bike to commute, and am more interested in convenience than weight. I got a two-legged kickstand for added stability. Keep in mind, not every single bike will accept every kickstand. If you get one with a top plate like this standard one that every bike store carries, it will work for 90% of the bikes you would expect to take a kickstand. If you bought a $5,000 tri bike with areo bars and bladed spokes for reduced wind drag, you’re not going to get a kickstand on there, sorry. Also, kickstands come in a set length and may need to be cut down with a hacksaw to fit your bike. You should be able to turn the handlebars all the way from left to right without the bike falling over. If you don’t feel comfortable measuring and cutting a kickstand, consider taking it to a bike shop.
>
>Clothing/comfort: A pair of cushioned bike shorts makes a ride a lot more enjoyable. But they’re also a lot less comfortable for anything else you’re doing. Unless you’re going to bring a change of clothes with you, bike shorts aren’t a practical piece of attire once you step off your bike. It’s not necessary to get spandexed up to ride the bike, but casual clothing does present some barriers to biking. Here’s a couple common issues and how I address them.
>
> Comfortable saddle: We’re not talking about a carbon fiber road bike with skinny tires and aero bars here, we’re talking about a commuter bike. Hopefully you figured that out while installing the fenders, rack and folding basket. Saddles come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. And second only to making sure you have the right sized bike, this is the single most important element for your comfort. Find a saddle that makes sense for the type of riding you do, and if that means it’s a gel-cushioned saddle, then go for it. Find one that doesn’t rely on the cushioned posterior of bike shorts to let you ride comfortably.
>
> Pedals/Shoes: This is a big one. If I had to stop and consider what kind of shoes I’m wearing when deciding to ride or drive, it would cut down my biking drastically. Here’s a secret: most bikes are sold with the cheapest pedals available. Even fancy bike shop bikes are shipped with cheapo pedals. Some, like $5,000 road bikes, aren’t shipped with any pedals at all, because they know that pedals are one of the first things serious riders replace. That means if you haven’t installed new pedals, your bike is probably equipped with cheap pedals that aren’t designed for the kind of riding you do or the shoes you will wear. Sometimes, just upgrading to a pair or metal pedals with more grip might do the trick. There are also systems with toe cages that will let you strap your feet in. I find these to be more of a pain than they’re worth. If you’re not going to strap your feet in for every ride, they’re a hassle as the added weight makes the cages naturally hang upside down. There’s also clipless systems, but those involve special shoes and cleat systems which are more complicated than the type of riding we’re discussing here. If you’ve ever seen someone in biker gear in the store or coffee shop and they click with every step like they’re wearing horseshoes, those are clipless shoes.
>
>What I recommend is a platform pedal like these I have a similar pair on my bike. They work and feel just like a normal bike pedal. Designed for winter adventure biking, the large pins grip effortlessly onto every kind of shoe for an effortless connection. I can ride my bike while wearing my heavy-duty safety toe boots without any problems. Some of the ones I saw on Amazon are just as cheap as any other pair of pedals. I would recommend at least getting metal ones.
>
>Pedals come in two standards, ½” and 9/16”. This measurement is the diameter of the spindle that screws into your crank. Kid’s bikes and BMX bikes are usually ½”, adult bikes are almost always 9/16”. Make sure the pedals you get are the correct spindle size. Swapping out pedals is fairly easy, every pedal I encountered will come off with either a 15mm wrench or 6mm Allen wrench. One thing to watch out for is the left pedal is reverse threaded. It will unscrew to the right and tighten to the left. Remember it with this simple mnemonic: Your left foot goes on the left pedal and it tightens to the left. Any pair of pedals you get will have the left and right clearly marked. Double-check it before installation to avoid an expensive problem.
>
>* Outerwear: Naturally the weather will be a bigger impact on your day if you’re biking rather than driving. Nice days are nicer, bad weather days are worse, and even the moderate days can be a bit challenging when you’re kitting up for some bike-based errands. If it’s one of those days where you can’t decide on short or long sleeves, biking can make these decisions even more difficult. Chilly days get chillier once you start pedaling at 10-15 miles per hour, but bundle up too much and you can overheat. The real problem here is the wind of your own passage. A fluffy sweatshirt can keep you warm when you’re walking along, but wind can blow right through it. I recommend a light windbreaker like this one I found in REI’s Outlet. It will keep the wind off, but is light enough to keep you from overheating on those days where the sun is playing peekaboo. An added benefit of paying a bit more for bike specific gear is they’re often designed with high-visibility stripes for extra safety. It’s far from fashionable, but you can get a hi-vis vest pretty cheap. They’re lightweight to not really impact your ride and can be easily stowed if you want to stop catching everyone’s eye once you step off your bike.
>

Posting pictures of the bike would be helpful. If you decide to do this, make sure to post a few high quality shots of your drivetrain which could show us if there's any critical wear.

However, before you post the pictures, it would be helpful to clean the bike. Get a bucket of soapy water, find a sponge or rag that you don't mind sacrificing and get to cleaning your mountain bike. Dry it off, and then post the pictures (that will make any critical deficiencies more obvious).

As others have mentioned, you'll most likely need to remove the chain. Here's a video from one of the best cycling channels on Youtube, Global Cycling Network (GCN), that shows you exactly how to do that. GCN and its sister channel, Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) offer a number of fantastic maintenance videos in addition to a variety of other content. If you're wondering where to get a chain tool, I would just spend a bit of extra money and get a good multi tool like the Crank Brothers multi tool which already comes with one.

Pump up the tires to see if they still hold air. If they do, fantastic. Nothing more needs to be done. If not, you'll need to get new tubes (most likely your mountain bike will need 26 in X 1.9-2.125 in tubes). Here's how to install a new tube.


As a bike commuter, you'll need a number of things to stay safe and make sure your bike stays in your hands. Here are the essentials:

1. Front and rear lights. I use this flashlight for my front light, and a rear light similar to this.
   
   
2. A helmet. From your posting history, you seem to live in Australia. All helmets sold in that country are required to meet the same safety standards so in all likelihood, spending more on a helmet will not make you safer. Buy one in a store and you're set.
   
   
3. A great bike lock. Read this to learn the proper way to lock your bike.
   
   However, staying safe is only the first part. You'll want or need a number of other items to make sure that your commute isn't frustrating. Here are some of the items off of the top of my head.
   
   
4. Bike pump. If you're going to mostly ride near gas stations which have air pumps that can inflate a tube, you probably don't need to carry around a mini pump on your rides. However, everyone should own a floor pump.
   
   
5. Degreaser. The cheap automotive kind is fine as is WD 40. This is used when you need to clean the drivetrain.
   
   
6. Bike lube. Stick with a bike specific one.
   
   
7. Disposable poncho. When I lived in an area where it often rained, I always had a dollar store disposable poncho in my backpack. It's just super handy if there's an unexpected downpour.
   
   
8. Fenders. I personally don't have them, but I live in a relatively dry climate. If you live in a place where it always rains, they're super helpful.
   
   
9. Bottle cage. A cheap plastic one is fine.
   
   
10. Tire levers.
    
    
11. Rear rack. Assuming you don't have a full suspension mountain bike and instead have a hard tail (here's an article if you're unsure), get a rear rack. Do not get one that is only mounted to the seat post like this Ibera, but rather one that connects to the bike frame. If your bike does not have any bolts that can attach, you can use P clamps to secure the rack. This post describes how to do just that.
    
    
12. Some way to transport groceries. While I use a milk crate that I ziptied onto my rear rack with bungee cords on top of the crate (similar to this setup), many others use panniers to transport groceries and other goods. This has the benefit of more storage, better center of gravity, and can be water proof. However, they are usually much more expensive unless you go the DIY route.
    
    
13. Bike bell. Cars won't be able to hear you, but if you ride in areas with lots of pedestrians or other cyclists, it's useful.
    
    
14. Spare tube. Fortunately 26 in tubes are cheap and super easy to find. Any department store with a bike section will carry them.
    
    /r/bikecommuting can be a helpful resource if you have other questions.

I spent some time in google maps and and street view. For your Route Would going down Glenoaks Blvd to Sonora Ave then down Riverside Ave work for you? it ends up being 4.8 miles but with that route it's a bike lane until Riverside Dr and Bob Hope to your destination, so almost the whole trip would be by bike lane https://goo.gl/maps/oNfXYXZt9HS2. If you're comfortable walking you could walk the bike on the sidewalk for the last section of it and cool off. so you aren't riding "in traffic" until you're more comfortable with it.

For a pannier rack without a rack mount you can try something that attaches to your seat post if the load won't be too heavy like this https://www.amazon.com/Blackburn-Interlock-Seatpost-Rack-Black/dp/B00GCB6EEW/ref=sr_1_41?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1550901567&sr=1-41&keywords=seat+post+pannier+rack as long as it has something going down on the sides to keep panniers swinging into your back wheel as you ride. I've never used one like this so I don't have any first had advice on how well it keeps the bags from swinging into the rear wheel

Or you can try something like this https://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Road-DLX-Racks/dp/B003UWESMQ the bottom mounting holes go where your rear wheel axles are, the quick release skewer goes through the rack mounting holes and through the wheel. The silver looking tongue in the front goes between the rear brakes and the frame using the bolt for the brake calipers to hold it in place. It'll keep the bags stable, hold more weight than a seat post rack, and sit a little further back so your heels don't hit the panniers. I have this rack on an old road bike I use for my commute to work and I love it

​

Hope you have a great time with your commute and stay safe

Yes, but good luck with that - this bike doesn't even have eyelets at the dropouts or a drilled brake bridge, much less proper mounting points on the seatstays. Where there's a will, there's a way, but your best bet will probably be something mounted to the seat post (like this), which is only a decent solution.

If you haven't yet bought this bike, I might recommend you choose a different one better-suited to mount a rack, and maybe with multiple gears, which I know are super uncool, but which are also super useful when you need to get a heavy load up a steep hill. If you've already bought it, I'm sure you'll be able to make it work well for you.

Hey guys I am looking for input on my current build. Tried to post earlier but it got removed without telling me why.

I originally bought the basic parts in fall of 2018 which included:

19" GT Agressor Pro from Dick's Sporting - $295

27.5" Conversion Kit 35MPH from LeafBike.com - $508.13

52v 14s9p-pf 25.7AH Triangle Battery Pack from EM3ev.com - $827.4

Rear Cargo Rack from Amazon - $25.99

SKS Velo Snap-on Fenders from Amazon - $21.65

BikeHand Toolkit from Amazon - $49.99

Shimano HG41 from Amazon - $16.70

Torque Arm from Amazon - $16.50

Park fr52 from REI - $7.15

Tire Liner from REI - $17

Tubes from Walmart - $20

Total $1825.51

Hot Damn! Never actually did the math that is quite a bit more than i thought it cost, I'm a little embarrassed I've been telling people that it cost around $1300 lol boy the shipping and tax just kills you!

Anyways it all arrived without issue (Thank goodness) and I put it together (minus the pedal assist due to a crank removal fiasco) with some difficulty as a number of things required modification to work. That rear wheel is an absolute biatch to install. I have had an absolute blast with it both on and off road since then. Only major gripe is with the controller, hella loud and super weak regen breaking.

Just recently decided to do some additional tweaking with the bike. Went on another spending spree over at Aliexpress. Ended up buying the following parts:

Pedals - $21.45

Longer Handlebar - $8.80

External Bearing Bottom Bracket and Cranks - 32.66

Four Pairs of Brake Pads - 5.29

3-Button switch - $27.49

Handlebar Grips - $2.66

Torque Arm - $8.35

Left hand thumb Throttle - $5.67

Lights DC 12v-48v - 20.89

42 tooth Chain ring - 17.60

Pannier - 30.51

1xSchwalbe MTB 27.5 2.25 - 50

Total $231.44

Already installed new bottom bracket and pedal assist (with some modification lol) and its amazing!

I am about to start getting into the electronics so i figured i would ask for advice before i solder everything up in case you guys come up with a better way to do things.

Anywho I am getting rid of those handle grips with the twist throttle in favor of a left handed throttle, this will allow me to shift on the rear cassette a lot easier. Then its on to replacing the super cheap switch (cruise, regen, reverse) with the Aliexpress switch (cruise, horn, lights, gonna short regen for always on) and add lights. Considering adding another on/off point for security but cant think of a great way to do that... Right now i have the BMS on/off at the battery itself (momentary switch) and the power on the LCD display itself.

Also anyone have a line on a cheap controller with strong regen breaking and sin wave fets? I see the ebikes.ca but looks like that requires cycle analyst v3 for pedal assist which doesnt seem to display information nicely plus itll cost around 265 for both...

That $1000 range is pretty ripe with options, lucky for you. Roads and paved trails definitely leaves you open to a road bike, not just a cyclocross bike. If the roads are really rough, you can move up to a 25mm or 28mm tire if need be, but you have the Bullit for any fun on dirt you could ever want to have.

Your desire for a rack, however, in some ways limits both road and cyclocross options, as it is likely you would like to have eyelets in the frame to mount racks (there are racks that don't require them, e.g. Axiom's Streamliner DLX). Both dedicated road and cyclocross bikes are usually designed for racing, so they often won't have the eyelets. The exceptions I know of are Trek's 1-series bikes, which may be your best road choice, and Specialized's Secteur, which has a more upright "endurance" geometry. I know of no dedicated cyclocross bikes with eyelets. There is a sort of "crossover genre" of... what would you call them... "sports cross" bikes? These are bikes like Specialized's Tricross and Trek's Crossrip. These bikes won't be as aggressive geometry or otherwise as either road or cyclocross bikes but may be suited to what you want.

As for sizing, I have a long ~35" inseam and ride a 58cm. Best thing I can recommend is going to a shop and trying out some bikes.

Here's what I wrote in another thread:

I ride with two Drift Stealth 2s and they're great - you can get them for about $85-100 apiece. They have 3-hour-ish battery life and on a 32 gig card can hold three days of my 20-mile-a-day commutes (they also have dashcam-like rollover so that you never have to worry about full memory, if you prefer that). They do 720p at 60fps or 1080p at 30fps, and while their picture isn't the equivalent of a GoPro, it's plenty good for legal purposes.

I highly recommend a helmet mount (vs. a bar mount) for your front-facing camera. You're much more likely to capture whatever shit's going on that way; a bar mount has a smoother picture but will miss anything happening to the side of your bicycle. One of the nice features of the Stealth 2 is that the camera lens rotates, so if you have to mount on your helmet at a funny angle you can turn the lens to compensate and still have a horizontal video.

For the rear mount, I used the sawed-off center beam of a seatpost-mounted back rack. There are cheaper seatpost-mounted back racks, but this particular model has a flat top, which makes it work well with the adhesive mount. I cut off everything but three-four inches from the beam, slapped the adhesive mount that comes with the Stealth 2 on there, and it's been going great even through weather for several months now.

If you have to choose between front and back for now, I'd definitely recommend investing in the front first.

Here's what they look like in daylight.

Here's what they look like during urban nighttime.

Here's what it looks like in rain.

Edit: It's notable that because the Stealth 2 uses a slide-in-slide-out mounting system, your mount-to-camera connection will loosen slightly over time from the friction of mounting and unmounting, which will cause vibration in the video after a while. I found that you can shim the inside of the mount with a strip of electrical tape, which tightens everything up nicely.

For the bike itself I recommend you get a used old roadbike. That will offer plenty of fun already (you might never feel the need to upgrade) and it will give you time to figure if and what else you might want.

In addition to that I recommend: (All amazon links)

A bicycle tool with a chainbreaker tool, this will allow you to fix anything and everything that can go wrong on a bicycle. Not that the one I linked is very pricy, there are cheaper versions but with tools I always prefer having good stuff.

You will likely need new tires if you get an old bike, this is one point where you can drastically enhance performance by buying good ones. Ever since I bought Continental GP4000SII I haven't even thought about trying others. A set of these will last you for several years on a 3 Mile distance so the cost is neglible. Note that tyre sizes differ somewhat, if you get something really old these won't fit. Get the bike first and then buy the right size tyres (should be listed on the rubber of the old tyre, most road bikes use 700x25c).

In addition to that I would normally recommend a book on bicycle repairs, but if you head over to BikeMan4U on youtube he's one of the best people to learn that stuff from, very down to earth guy.

You will also need some way to transport your stuff to work, I recommend getting a simple wire basket and putting your backpack into there. Note that most road bikes are not built to accomodate a rear rack, you might need something like this.

That is basically what you will need to get started, maybe grab a cheap rain jacket and -trousers if you plan to really bike every day. I myself am no friend of cycle clothing and commute either in jeans / tshirt or aforementioned rain gear, which works just fine for my ~6 miles one way.

Of course that's just my opinion and you might end up buying something completely different, but this will get you on the road to happiness for 500 or less and I think at that point you do nothing wrong.

Lots of good answers here, so I'll just give some extra advice. I highly recommend getting a good bike lock. It'll save your bike and give you peace of mind when you leave it for long periods of time. I personally use an ABUS Granit XPlus. I also recommend getting a rear rack and bag. PakRak makes a really good combo (sold separately).

>tell me your experience and why you started doing it

I didn't want to pay for a car, insurance, gas and upkeep. Now I do it because I've developed such a passion for it. The place I bought the bike from offers free maintenance for life, so that was a good bonus incentive.

No way 700c would fit.

I replaced the pads in the back and it's all good now, will do the front later so brakes are taken care of. I will probably get a SS chainring 48+ teeth for the front. Cleaned up the derailleur and its much better now, but I still gotta get it tuned by a shop (shifts great but skips 5 and 8)

Also, since my rear rack is taped on right now I was looking at getting this. From reviews a fender should fit underneath it. I've got the hole between the seat stays to mount a fender, but do you know of one that fits on disc brakes?

I haven't been able to find a rigid fork that has the correct axle to crown length, from what I've researched mine is 480mm and would shoot for a ~450mm fork. Would I need to get a 700c wheel and smaller fork to offset it? After that I'd look into a different handlebar or better bar ends, as the ones on it are 10 pounds and from a huffy.

Thanks for the help all, looks like I can salvage this.


This is my bike on bikepedia

I've had the bike for a few weeks now and use it almost entirely for commuting. Here's what I've added since I got the bike:

• GoPro Hero3 Black
  
  
• NiteRider Lumina Micro 350 front and rear
  
  
• Nite Ize HandleBand
  
  
• Tektro CR720 Canti Brakes
  
  
• Ibera PakRak Bicycle Touring Carrier Plus+
  
  
• Avenir Excursion Rack-Top Bag
  
  
• SKS P45 Black Chromoplastic Longboard
  
  
• SRAM Supercork Bicycle Bar Tape (Black)
  
  
• Shimano Brake Cable and Housing Set
  
  
• Shimano Road Shift Cable and Housing Set
  
  The stock brakes weren't doing enough to stop me so I swapped them out for some Tektro CR720s. I dropped the yoke as far as I could to give myself as much leverage as possible. Braking is much better now and more reliable than the original set ever was.
  
  I added a rack and trunk bag that's big enough to hold my food and clothes for the day. The only modification I had to make here was filing away some metal from rack mounting leg. It was colliding with frame near the dropout and not allowing the leg to sit close enough to the braze on.
  
  Some of the original cable housings that came with the bike had some gouges in them so Nashbar sent me a new replacement cable set. I swapped out all the brake/shift cables and replaced the bar tape with some SRAM cork tape. The original cables from Nashbar were also a bit too long and were causing excessive friction.
  
  I added some SKS fenders per the recommendations of users on this sub. They were a little finicky to install but I got them on in the end. This particular frame doesn't have bolt holes in either of the two rear bridges so I had to resort to the classic zip tie approach.
  
  As far as the bike goes, it's been performing flawlessly so far. It weighs close to 30 lbs now so it's not the lightest thing in the world. However, the steel frame and the large tires really help smooth out the road quite a bit. The saddle is still the most uncomfortable part of the bike, but I'm hoping to swap it out sometime in the near future. Shifting is still very smooth and the 4 trim positions on the 105 front derailleur is a great feature.
  
  If you're considering getting a bike from Nashbar, I'd definitely recommend them. Their customer service was fantastic and everything they shipped usually got to me door in 2-3 days (even the bike!).

Just be careful and dont get a beach cruiser!!!!! id recommend a hybrid bike like a trek 7.1 and put a rack on it for panniers so you can carry your stuff. Also if you are over weight i highly recommend a brooks saddle i have a b17 and its wonderful on my ass. Also bike shorts 4.3 miles aint long, but it will make your life much easier. A cheap walmart bike will break often and be expensive to repair. Refer over to r/bicycling to learn more if you are strapped for cash id go with this bike its a good all rounder and bikesdirect is a good company, or a trek and the seat brooks b17 bike rack panniers shorts
Once again do not buy a bike from walmart it will make you hate bicycling. Oh also rules and sheldon brown a repository of all things cycling
Best of luck to you, safe riding and Dont buy this!!

Yeah sorry I forgot about your no brazon / p-clamp requirement.

They have a lot of options. I chose the Explorer rack which was much lighter than my other two rear racks.

I am considering buying one of their Beamracks for my road bike without the side frame add-on so I can use my bag for weekend rides as well.

Some other things I considered were not as functional, were more expensive, but looked much better. They don't exactly match your requirements, but maybe they'll give you some ideas.

• Carradice Camper with the Bagman Expedition Support which meets your requirements, except for price.
  
• Sackville Saddlesacks
  
• Minnehaha Saddle Bag
  
  The one I had before the Topeak one was a Racktime Wall-it with a Snapit rack. I really like it, but I just needed to carry more stuff. The Snapit system is nice and works with the Ortlieb trunk bag as well. I got it really cheap on Sierra Trading post. You can even buy the Snapit adapter by itself to make the system work with any bag you like.
  
  Hope you find something that works well for you.

Was inspired by this post to show my own reflective gear!

I tried to keep the logos visible so you could see what it all is but:

• Super Engineering Grade Reflective Tape
  
  
• Light Reflective Bike Bar Tape
  
  
• Timbuk2 Maze Classic Messenger Bag
  
  
• Sugoi Zap Versa (it’s a convertible jacket/vest and I think they discontinued it so I can’t find a link, sorry!)
  
  
• BV Bike Bag Bicycle Panniers (these aren’t The Best nor the most reflective but they work fine for a casual commuter like me)
  
  
• Not shown in this picture but a super fun addition: Serum No. 5 ‘Flashing Lights’ Reflective Nail Polish

I recently bought a Giant Escape 2 for commuting from Arlington to Downtown DC and it works great, I got the bike and lock for less than $500. If you want to look at bikes, Papillion Bicycles is the local Giant dealer and Spokes etc. is one of the local Trek and Specialized dealers. You can go and ride the bikes and see what you like, but at that price point almost all the hybrid bikes are the same.

After that I got a Topeak rear rack with this Trunk Bag and it works great, fits my computer, clothes and even lunch. It has side panniers that fold out. I would recommend that you get some cygolite front and rear lights from amazon as well.

If you're serious about commuting, something along these lines is your best bet.

[Here is my setup] (http://imgur.com/gallery/IBw0q)

Edit: Word

P-clamps are a great solution for attaching a rack when you don't have eyelets.

Here's an excellent article (with helpful photos) on how to install a rack with p-clamps: http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/07/19/p-clamps-are-your-friends/

Here's a good breakdown and Nitto branded p-clamp from Rivendell Bikes: https://www.rivbike.com/products/nitto-band-clamps-pair?variant=23336804161

Attach at the upper eyelets and then use 2 p-clamps (one on each side) to attach the lower points of the rack. Once you have your p-clamps, then any rear rack will do depending on your needs - I use the non-disc version of this (link to the disc brake version): https://smile.amazon.com/Ibera-Bike-Rack-Frame-Mounted-Adjustable/dp/B002T5H8MW?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2 which is great and affordable (under $30).

I know zero about riding in the snow but will say that in general you can commute on any bike and its best to just start riding. The knobby tires certainly shouldn't hurt in the snow.

Rear racks are a bit tricky for mountain bikes and there are not a whole lot of good options. One option is the style that mounts on the seat post (see link below). In my opinion they are heavy, kind of clunky and I have never seen one that isn't loose and flopping around, however, some folks seem to like them. Depending on what you want to carry you may want to look into a frame bag or a seat bag.

https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Seatpost-mounted-Commuter-Carrier/dp/B002T5GHNI/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImNiR7dG75QIVBNvACh1Uwww6EAAYASAAEgL2IPD_BwE&hvadid=198228759260&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9032294&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6150622066045943072&hvtargid=kwd-324685841740&hydadcr=2429_9914336&keywords=rear+rack+for+mountain+bike&qid=1572151840&sr=8-10

For all-around utility and versatility, a hybrid/comfort bike is a good starter choice, as could be a used mountain bike (either of these types can handle light gravel and gentle off-road use). Try to avoid department store bikes—rather, companies like Giant/Liv, Raleigh, Specialized, Trek and others offer good quality. Riding around town, you don't need suspension (it reduces efficiency), so look for a rigid frame.

Around this time of year, many bike shops will be clearing out this year's models to make room for next year; see if you can snag something good there, as well as checking Craigslist.

With your height, you'll be looking for a Small frame (around 16 inches/40 centimeters—the height of the frame's seat tube).

I'd look for a good-quality basic bike—for example, here is Giant's entry-level $330 Sedona W—and kit it up with fenders and a rack at the very least. Fenders will run around $40, and a rack will cost $25-50 depending on the type. I'd also recommend getting a pair of folding baskets on either side of the rack, which will help you carry at least a full paper grocery bag on either side.

You'll also want lights; Serfas makes a good commuter light set that's about $40 for headlight and taillight.

If your Revenio 1.0 is anything like my Capri 1.0, you may want to try looking into a rack like the Axiom Streamliner Road DLX since it puts the rack a bit farther back and gives you another 4cm of clearance. As /u/ChariotOfFire mentioned, the chainstay looks pretty short and my Raleigh has a very small chainstay as well.

As for bags, I've got some Arkel Cargo panniers. I went to the nearest LBS and they were the cheapest option (the LBS is tiny, so limited stock) and only recently found out that they're intended for front racks. :p Oops. They work well enough though, hah.

Good luck!

These are great suggestions.

I did find a nice rear rack that attaches to the seatpost and a flatbed trailer I really liked.

It's funny, my main reason for going rigid on the forks was to save weight, but here I am adding significant weight.

I think it I will likely try a different, more comfortable saddle, fenders, tires, and I may go with some sort of handlebar set up that gives me a better angle when riding. Long rides on the bike as it is now tend to make my lower back stiff/sore.

I own this. It's fine, the seat was terrible and the wheels arrived out of true, but other than that it's a perfectly reasonable bike. That Cannondale looks sweet though, and it's already got the rack and lights. Get some panniers and maybe some fenders and you're good to go.

I commuted on a 1994 Stumpjumper for the past few years at school. I used cheaper Kenda 1.95 road tires that are still good after I bought them summer 2011. I also put a rear rack that carried either m-wave panniers for grocery shopping, or a trunk for small stuff.

Lights are a big thing. You can get them cheaply, I've been using a planet bike set for a while. The tail light is either solid or flashing and is very bright, but the headlight leaves something to be desired.

Good luck!

I am not, and didn't realize that I should. I know that it seemed a little floppy, but I was trusting in the hitch. I do have some straps, so I think now I will add a strap to the trunk. Thanks.

My bikes are hybrid with no fenders, but I do have one of these bike trunk racks. I didn't think about how those arms might need a clear tire. Thanks for that as well.

I was about to pull the trigger on a Kilo TT for commuting ($400 SingleSpeed), but I waited about a week instead and found a used Torelli Tipo Uno for $200 I bought instead. I too am a 6'5" so the bikes do show up, don't lose hope! I highly recommend using http://www.searchtempest.com/ so you can search your surrounding Craigslist's too (provided you have available transportation to get to nearby cities, the bike I found was 80 miles from me, but well worth the trip!).

Edit: You could maybe go for something along the lines of this CAAD8 and slap an Axiom Streamliner on that bad boy if you're not planning on carrying a TON for your commute.
If you want something more commuter'y here's another option, they do exist! :D

That said, if you do want a BikesDirect bike I have heard a lot of good things about the Motobecane Grand Record

That's definitely a steal. Have heard good things about these Tubus racks.

However, anyone have experience with an Ibera PakRak:

http://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Touring-IB-RA4-Frame-mounted/dp/B002T5H8MW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1458744660&sr=8-4&keywords=tubus+rack

Looks like a good deal. I'm looking for a rear rack that can accept panniers.

Right now, I have this Topeak Explorer rack on my Schwinn Varsity:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FIE3WI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01

My bike is a commuter but I am planning on taking it on some short weekend / week-long tours this summer, hopefully going for a month long tour at the tail end of summer.

Thanks for any insight, everyone! Cheers!

I have a Blackburn EX-1 on one bike so I can use the Blackburn bicycle seat:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ZIQMCC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a Topeak SuperTourist on my commuter, it's heavy but I like being able to fit my Topeak top bag with a couple of panniers when needed. I think the BadBoy 2 has mount points just above the axle.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZKHN6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used a little clamp thing to attach the two front straps to the seatpost, worked fine. They don't really hold any weight, just stability. Something like this or this.

That should work. Here's the one I have: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0012DZEBY.

There are other brands, but I can't speak to their quality as I've only used Wald's. I've had two (one stayed with a bike I sold) and they held up just fine for years, even in my rainy city. The one on my current bike was hard to attach (previous bike was super easy) but it was doable and makes it practically theft-proof.

Make sure it will fit your rear rack. It will be fine with almost any rack, but I've some really weird ones that don't seem like they'd work with anything, even pannier clips. You'd know if you had one already, though. 😀

This has been one of the racks I have used. The best part of them is that they are quick release so you don't need to have any holes in your frame in order to mount it. It is compatible with just about every frame and trunk bag.

Also I found that a trunk bag makes the bike unstable when you are awaiting at a light or getting started. A better choice for me has been these bags. They are deep enough to hold three changes of clothes a computer and 2 pairs of shoes. They comes with rain protectors that will keep the bags and their contents dry and clean.

​

Ibera Bicycle Bag

Quick Release Rack

​

The combination of the two should make the ride that you have easier. Not to mention that the bags have an a ajustability that will allow them to fit any rack that you might have..

​

Well, I use my standard entry level road bike for pretty much everything. It's a 2015 Felt F95 Sora which has been treating me really well. I have around 7,000 Km on it.




For touring, especially for carrying stuff, I wanted something sturdy and cheap so I went with this rack and this easy clip-in bag. The bag is really great as it can easily come off the rack and double as a shoulder carry bag. There's another small saddle bag (Standard) for tools and spares. Additionally, I had 10L cycling backpack (Not in the picture). If you have any other questions, ask away.

Edit: Grammar

I got these for commuting to work and for weekend shopping trips. They're great.


Ibera Bicycle Bag PakRak Clip-On Quick-Release All Weather Bike Panniers (Pair), Includes Rain Cover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KW2ZIMQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yqrhDb1K7HQ6D

They can fit a lot and hold weight. They're easy to detach from my small front rack as well. They have rain covers that are light and easy to throw on

I purchased a Bike Valet and it works fine for one bike. They are only right or left oriented and work for larger tubing (my vintage steel bike don't work with it). This must be installed into a stud or concrete/brick wall to work properly.

I recently purchased a another rack in order to store two more bikes. It surprisingly works well - but not for mixtes bikes like I was hoping. It says it can hold 3 bikes, but you'd either need 10 foot ceilings and a ladder next to it always or one those must be a kids bike. The cool thing about this is that you don't have to drill into the wall.

Check etsy.com / kickstarter.com for bicycle mounts/storage - there are tons of ideas and different ways to do so for you.

It looks like there are eyelets for rack mounts so any rack like this should work https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002T5H8MW/ref=s9_top_hd_bw_bEHOX_g468_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=ZWM7T83HJTAQ5WKKA7WP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=4fa95ac1-9313-504c-a40b-72e9b9823f04&pf_rd_i=3403461

Panniers are can be a bit more 'sized'. Are your boots high tops? I'm thinking something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ET9W146/ref=abs_brd_tag_dp?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Full disclosure I have a Blackburn rear rack and some large drawstring top Jaand panniers I found used.

Looking to get a rear cargo rack so I can carry two grocery bags on the side. Planning to get baskets like this.

Adopted a bike from someone else, size M, which lists the frame as 54.5cm by 54cm (around 21 inches). Does that mean a rack like this for 26"-29" frames is too big?

Any suggests would be fantastic. Thanks!

totally hear you on not wanting to bolt anything to your road bike, but i commuted 20 miles a day with one of these and some bungee cords for like 3 years. so much better than a backpack.

> And really its been a long time since I've had one of those holy shit I actually reaaaallly enjoy this moments

riding is pretty zen for me as well. haven't had time to do long rides lately and definitely miss it.

It's a great feature (although you don't mount the panniers at an angle, the upper rail is always parallel to the ground, but it does solve the heel clearance issue). I've seen a few other panniers that allow a similar sort of adjustment. For example, these (if you're in Canada). The alternative is to get a rack that has a setback like these axiom's. They let you mount the pannier's further back and away from swinging heels.

Having said that, my wife is really happy with her ortlieb city rollers and the adjustability fixed a problem with her last set.

I have a gym bag version of a convertible hobo that I love. It's this bag, Calia by Carrie Underwood. I also have grocery basket style panniers for everyday riding that I love because they pop out and I can stick just about everything in them. I may upgrade to some Ortliebs if I start touring or riding in the rain, but for now I love the convenience of just being able to pop the pannier open and throw my bags down.

The rack is an axiom streamliner road rack, it's very narrow so it wouldn't be suitable for carrying anything on top but is fine for mounting the panniers on the side. The front mounts on to the bolt that holds the calipers in place and the rear is set back a couple of inches from the axle with a steel plate to give better heel clearance.

It is strong enough for commuting with a moderate load but If I would go for something with a more sturdy design if I was planning on carrying heavy loads.

Nothing fancy. It was an Amazon special. Works great, good size.

Ibera Bicycle Triangle Frame Bag,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00696K4E6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I am a big fan of hybrids for the type of riding you describe. They can also handle mild unpaved surfaces. Test ride the Specialized Sirrus, Giant Escape, Cannondale Quick, and Fuji Absolute. Those 4 all price closely at each spec level. There are many other brands with models in that class too depending on the bike shops near you (Marin, Jamis, Kona, Felt, Scott). Shop convenience and service quality should be factors in your decision.

I'd recommend getting at least an 8 speed in the rear. It's easy to upgrade later and has smaller jumps between gears. Rim vs. disc brakes are up to you. If you don't plan on riding in foul weather, rim brakes are good enough and give you a very convenient front rack option.

• 1x Tube
  
  
• 3x threaded 16 Gram co2
  
  
• 2x Pedros Tire Levers
  
  
• Portland Design Works Shiny Object (Co2 valve)
  
  
• Topeak Alien 2 Tool (Which is an AWESOME tool btw)
  
  
• Patch kit with multiple patches
  
  
• 1x Ziploc bag. This is for the electronics if I get caught out in the rain.
  
  The following items get removed / put in depending on the ride
  
  
• Debit card
  
  
• Insurance card
  
  
• I.D.
  
  
• Emergency $10 cash
  
  
• Keys
  
  
  
  And here is the bag that all fits in:
  
  BV Bicycle Saddle Bag
  
  I have the large saddle bag and its more than big enough for all that stuff. Everything on my list could probably fit in the medium as well. I just like to have room for extra goods.
  
  

I have a collapsible rear basket that is incredible! Keeps my backpack off my back (no sweat!) and perfectly holds a grocery bag for errands. Plus, it folds down almost flat, so easy to store & park. Best bike upgrade I've done!

If you're going to be commuting you should look at getting fenders (SKS are good) and a rear rack and pannier bag (you're better off letting the bike carry your stuff; you won't get a sweaty back from a backpack). I'd also probably recommend a chainguard (which lets you ride in jeans/regular trousers without worrying about ripping the shit out of the cuffs).

You need eyelets that would be located on the back of the frame. For the most part, he will be stuck riding with a backpack when riding that bike. It's possible that you could get this Ibera rack that will fit onto the seat post but you will need to raise the seat post and take off the reflector and replace that with a bike light. IMO get him a better commuter that could have a sturdier rack and carry more weight that is mounted to the frame instead of the seat post. A good beginner bike would be a Giant Escape 2 or 3
https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Seatpost-mounted-Commuter-Carrier/dp/B002T5GHNI/ref=pd_sbs_468_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002T5GHNI&pd_rd_r=CVHQBP7NSBBDP1EN6BS3&pd_rd_w=O9VLc&pd_rd_wg=cWUf5&psc=1&refRID=CVHQBP7NSBBDP1EN6BS3

You have three options:

• shim the attachment point out until the support does not interfere
  
• bend the support until it does not interfere
  
• get a rack with narrower tubular supports. It looks like all Topeak racks use those same flat supports, but I have an Ibera with tubular supports similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-IB-RA4-Non-Disc-Frame-Mounted/dp/B002T5H8MW/

Justhavingacoffe, I'd be super interested how you have made the Topeak work.


DuranDourand, thanks for the pic, that's exactly the problem I ran into.

Just to double check, this is the rack you've used, correct?

http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Disc-Cycle-Black/dp/B004094HY2

Thank you?

Other stuff that may be handy:

• saddle bag or panniers for carrying extra tubes, snacks, etc.
  
• basic gloves, they'll help keep your hands comfy on long rides; I have Pearl Izumi "Select" gloves that work great.
  
• bike jersey with pockets to hold your keys/water bottle/whatever. You can get cheap ones from China on eBay with whatever design you like, I just ordered a Spongebob one for $20
  
• water bottle and cage (if your bike doesn't come with one)

I highly recommend a rack + panniers. I just switched from using a backpack to a rack + panniers on my commute and it's MUCH nicer.

I got these:
https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Touring-IB-RA4-Frame-mounted/dp/B002T5H8MW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473272148&sr=8-1&keywords=bike+rack+and+panniers

and
https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-IB-BA8-Bike-Panniers/dp/B0044U8W3E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473272148&sr=8-2&keywords=bike+rack+and+panniers

For less than $100 bucks you'll be much more comfortable.

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I was curious (since you sound like a seasoned veteran) - what waterproof panniers do you recommend, how much are they, and where did you get them?

I bought these, but they say nothing of being waterproof, and I'm assuming with our weather they won't hold up come Fall...

Buy a rack made for road bikes without rack mounts. The best cheap one is this: https://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Road-DLX-Racks/dp/B003UWESMQ

The best expensive one is the Tubus Fly Classic plus the Tubus QR mount kit. It will cost 3-4 times as much as the Axiom.

First thought: seems a lot like the Topeak Explorer series of bike racks. The QuickLock system works great; I have a bag that uses it. Hopefully this succeeds, so Topeak releases more QuickLock-compatible stuff and also brings costs down.

You can always get a front rack and then attach whatever size basket you want. There are a ton of smaller sized metal baskets that you would use in a kitchen, for instance, that could be useful.

If you have v brake mounts, this rack https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Gold-Front-Rack-Black/dp/B002MKHR6G/ref=pd_bxgy_468_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002MKHR6G&pd_rd_r=220633cb-e138-11e8-9996-bd5c2b1c099d&pd_rd_w=zU6Sk&pd_rd_wg=5tfTR&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=6725dbd6-9917-451d-beba-16af7874e407&pf_rd_r=N2MR0EK7WNKM1RS7KVVA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=N2MR0EK7WNKM1RS7KVVA is surprisingly inexpensive and strong.

I use the linked rack with a wald basket zip-tied to it on one of my bikes and haven't had a problem, even with some considerably weight loads. Imgur

what should you know about saddle bags? Buy a topeak MTX quicktrack rack and the expandable EXP bag This system is too amazing to describe. Small bag for short trips, unfolds into full pannier setup. Securely fastening it to your bike in under 10 seconds is a dream compared to conventional veclro/bungee systems. Both of these together will be over your $80 budget for your helmet/lock/bag but it's well worth it. I'll never use another bag/rack again. The rack is also lighter than the cheaper rack I was using before.

Thanks for your feedback, I decided to buy this rack, because of the quick release system of the bag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLv8108LQN0

Also this bag has great user reviews in the US Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ibera-PakRak-Bicycle-Quick-Release-Commuter/dp/B002T5MZ70/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413082486&sr=8-3&keywords=Ibera+PakRak+Clip-On

Yeah a good rack and panniers will go a long way. I picked one of these up on sale for $20 bucks, and matched it with one of the MTX bags. Super convenient for commuting, since you barely notice the weight when it's over your back wheel.

In addition to the Ortlieb rollers, I have a pair of Ibera PakRak Panniers that were $80.

Personally I like the Iberas better than the Ortliebs, mainly because I think the roll top on the Ortliebs is a pain in the ass.

I just did a tour up the PA Grand Canyon with the Iberas, and the first night there was a torrential downpour, and heavy rain all the second day. I just put the rain covers on them, and they stayed completely dry. On the 3rd day, it was off and on light rain, and I didn't put the covers on. Again, stayed dry inside. I kept my rain jacket stuffed under the top flap to put on when I needed.

I like the flip up top, makes it very easy to put stuff you might need on top and just flip open to get to it. They're also very well made.

Ibera also makes waterproof roll top panniers like the Ortliebs, but a little less expensive

I commute with the Ibera trunk bag and seat post mount. I've been happy with it. The rack comes off in 15 seconds for weekend rides and the pack fits my lunch, change of clothes, and repair kit easily. The bottom is big enough for my large Tupperware containers to sit flat, which is nice when I'm bringing a double serving of chili for lunch.

I put an Ibera Rack on my BikesDirect CX Bike without issues. I used the one for disk brakes. It can be installed at different angles, and I've never had a rattle or a squeak from it. I liked the way the Ibera looked, and it works well with its companion bags.

I only have the one bag, so the bike was unbalanced at a stand-still, but I really liked it. It has a shower-cap bag stowed in a bottom pocket for when it rains. I managed to put two 2-liters and my personal and work laptops in the one bag once. It was tight, but fit.

The TOPEAK bags and racks are much more popular, for sure.

If you have serious trouble with the screws squeaking, you can use split-washers to hold tension on them.

Good catch. This one, then. And yes, on the seatpost clamp. Lots of them for like $5 from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZKHN6Y/

Used this for everything from touring to grocery trips, been great so far. Definitely recommended. Also look into Old Man Mountain racks if you'd like some more options.

Thanks man! I love your living room! Here is the bike rack if you're interested.

I bought an Ibera frame bag for like $20 on amazon. I keep a spare tube, tire levers, multi tool, a few zip ties, some parachute cord, a patch kit and other little odds and ends. It is quite a large bag and will hold my phone and snacks on a ride. It is semi-waterproof and for the price it is good quality in my opinion. I like the location of it because you can access it while riding.


http://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Triangle-Frame-Medium/dp/B00696K4E6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1409421969&sr=1-1&keywords=ibera+frame+bag

r/bikecommuting

I love commuting by bike, my rear rack and my previous pannier were about $60. The rear rack has the added benefit of my wife being able to ride seated on the back (with a cushion for comfort).

What I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TM96MM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Simple, doesn't require any wall attachment (I'm also renting - no wall rehab upon move-out), gentle on the bikes, and looks pretty cool.

I think that's a reasonable figure to use to get started. As was already stated don't forget about the helmet, tubes etc. I'd keep 1 spare tube per bike, a bike pump (or CO2), a helmet each, a multi-tool, tire levers and a bike bag or two. Make sure you know how to change a tire before heading out just in case you need it on the trail (it's not hard). Sometimes Craigslist is a good place to look. Fuji makes reasonably priced entry level bikes if you have a retailer for them nearby. I think Specialized, Trek and Cannondale will all run a bit more unless you can find some closeout deals.

Suggestions: I like this bike bag, This is the multi-tool I carry

>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KW2ZIMQ

Sounds like this bag may be a better fit. It has a separate shoe compartment, Fidlock magnetic clips, a carabiner hook and padded laptop sleeve. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pocampo/the-worlds-best-sustainable-bike-bags-with-15-feat?ref=23b9d3

Werd, pretty much any rack will work if the brake is inside rear triangle.
If brake is mounted on back of the dropout, you need a disc specific rack.
There are two main types: the kind that is just spaced much wider, like this:
http://www.topeak.com/products/racks/explorertubularrack_discmount
And the kind that is set back further, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Disc-Cycle-Black/dp/B004094HY2
The set back kind gives you more heel clearance for panniers. But also mounts weight further back... tradeoffs.

It will likely fit in a frame bag like this one:

Ibera Bicycle Triangle Frame Bag, Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00696K4E6/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_oYg6tb19CG952

The large version fills up an entire triangle - probably overkill. Medium is already really big - my bottle cage and it pretty much fill the space on my frame.

Topeak mtx trunk bag. The side panels unzip to unveil fold out panniers, I've been pretty happy with it!

Axiom DLX Streamliner Disc Cycle Rack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004094HY2/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_U\_vJW0CbMTNBN21

​

Installed super easily. I'm only using it for fairly light loads. 15in laptop and a change of clothes (no shoes). If I was really going to load it up I'd probably change the top mount to one that clamps the seatpost.

If you get it for free, and no fenders, rack and want them, I recommend to take it to a local bike shop (LBS) and make sure everything is in working order. I'd darn make sure that the brake pads are good. Moving is one thing but I'd really like to be able to stop well.

At a LBS, ask about fenders and rack. They aren't that expensive and let them install if you are not sure.


If you want to do it by yourself, there are million options on-line. Since it's a classic roadie, if I were you, I'd get a handsome bike's 35mm fenders and Aixom Streamliner rack.

I cannot tell from the pic. Are there eyelets on the front fork and rear dropout? If so, it's a piece of case to install by yourself. If not, your option is rather limited. Prob. SKS race blade is the only option but streamliner rack would still work with the axle adapter.

Lol, thats the exact trailer that I have. I saw a rack on Amazon that looks like it's going to work. I guess I shouldnt really worry about bags till I have a decent rack. What do you think about this one? It's going on a mountain bike http://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Touring-IB-RA4-Frame-mounted/dp/B002T5H8MW/ref=pd_sbs_sg_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=15ERRXQWVPB797C5PFR2

After consulting with this subreddit I went with a topeak rear rack and a wald wire basket. I secured the basket to the rack with four Nite Ize gear ties and it feels really secure.

I was looking for a cheaper option than buying all of the matching baskets and panniers that go with the topeak rear rack. I have a limited budget to spend on new bike gear each paycheck, so i'm slowly buying new items.

Today was the first ride without my backpack on my back. It was definitely an interesting feeling. I felt super light, but the back of the bike was weighed down.

Any comments or suggestions?

It's this one here we had to slightly modify it because of our height. But we are very happy with it! My parents got it for us over the holidays.

I still own a car, but I live in the downtown area of Seattle and I've recently started biking a lot of places after my bike sat in my apartment for 2 years. It's been great, I no longer feel guilty about not going to the gym, and I don't have to buy almost any gas for my car. Also, I can get places a lot quicker than driving (and looking for parking in the city) or oftentimes even taking the bus. I bought a bike rack and some baskets and now I can go to the grocery store and carry everything home on my bike, even gallons of milk. It's great.

I have a frame that goes between floor and ceiling, and it has the benefit of being quite aesthetically pleasing.

• GearUp Rack
  
  I bought it after lusting seeing it set up in another redditor's post on /r/AmateurRoomPorn.

I got this rack off of amazon, and used some old panniers that my dad had.

As for fenders, just go to your LBS and they will set you up. I honestly don't know what kind of fenders that I have, but hey, they work.

My commute is pretty short, a little over 2 miles each way, and I have never had any issues with it.

I would consider mounting a rear rack using a P-Clamp. I assume you're saying it is difficult to install a rack/panniers because there are no eyelets to attach a rack to on the upper seat stays. However, the P-Clamp solution see here for more details, is an easy DIY fix. If you don't like it, you can remove it without any damage to the bike and do your trade in. P-Clamps are incredibly inexpensive at any hardware store and racks like this are plentiful online for not very much.

If you have any questions, feel free to DM me.

I HATE seatpost racks. The problem is with only 1 attachment point, they tend to swing around behind you a little. They also don't carry much.

They do make racks for bikes without rack mounts though.

A cheaper one is the Axiom Streamliner Disc:
http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Disc-Cycle-Black/dp/B004094HY2/

A lighter but more expensive one (that is designed to be a rack solution on full carbon bikes as well as others) is the BONTRAGER BACKRACK LIGHTWEIGHT:
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-accessories/bike-racks/bontrager-backrack-lightweight/p/08214

They both work the same way - at the top they attach under the rear brake bridge. At the bottom they attach via the wheel skewer, putting the weight of anything on the rack right onto the wheel axel (same place your bodyweight goes).

P.S. I see someone else said something similar and mentioned some of these racks below as well.

This is actually a pretty good rack that I've done a 3-day tour and a 6-day tour on with my roadie. The Seymour 45 panniers let me hold a tent, a sleeping bag, and a bunch of other various items.

Late to the party, but if you're looking for a reasonably priced rear rack, I'd recommend the Topeak Super Tourist rack; the DX version is made for disc brakes.

It has side bars that let you mount your panniers low and farther back (which helps avoid heel strike) and lets you use a trunk bag simultaneously. It also has Topeak's MTX system, which lets you use their excellent MTX bags (super-fast, secure and convenient attachment and removal).

Note that it's made of aluminum (as opposed to steel), so it may not be the choice for multi-month tours with super-heavy loads. That said, I've used mine for four years on several weeklong tours and regular commutes to work, and it has handled everything I've thrown on it with no problems.

I use this on my rear rack and LOVE it! https://smile.amazon.com/Wald-Folding-Bicycle-Basket-12-75/dp/B0012DZEBY/ref=sr_1_23?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1469217876&sr=1-23&keywords=bike+basket

Any rack should do, you will just have it sit higher. You can also get adjustable height tack like this one.

​

Edit: this one has a better adjustment for top connection.

:D

Seat Saddle Bag from Amazon and Snack Bag was from my awesome LBS (but available on Amazon as well)

I use this:
Ibera PakRak Bicycle Quick-Release Commuter Trunk Bag https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B002T5MZ70/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3c14CbRYV5H8C
You need to get their rack as well but it works fine for me. I fit in there clothes, lunch, mini pump, tools, tube and accessories.

Ok, I assume you have a very, very low budget so here are some options for you:

• Find someones couch to crash on for now. Preferably someone with an internet connection
  
• Build some Kitty Litter Panniers for now or a back pack (you will regret only having a back pack) ($15-$30) - see if you can make 4 of them provided you can take a front rack. Two if you can not.
  
• Get a camping hammock with a rain fly or a bivy tent (I have no ideas if either of those are good, I'm just going cheap) ($50-90)
  
• Get a sleeping pad ($30)
  
• Get two racks if your bike can take them. One for the front and one for the back ($60)
  
• Get a small tarp (I am sure you can find better than this, perhaps even locally) for those days with REALLY bad weather. ($7)
  
• Get a pancho or other cheap rain gear ($15)
  
• Get some bungee cords ($5)
  
• Get camping pans ($15)
  
• Get a lighter ($0.50)
  
• You could build a camping stove but I can't vouch for how well these work. You might want a proper one ($5-$50)
  
• Get a pump (follow the recommendations others have made) $20-$50
  
• Get a tool kit and some spare parts (I really like the Survival Gear Box) $50-75
  
  So maybe $275-375 total cost before food and water? Man, that's still high...

How much stuff do you take with you, OP? I have a frame bag that can fit most anything I'd want to carry other than bulky groceries (Though I can fit a 3-liter bag of wine in it). This one.

There are cheap panniers on Amazon. This one is 20 bucks and is the best seller of that kind of thing.

I commute daily with a Topeak Rack + Trunk Bag. I fit my clothes, lunch, and 15" Macbook. Trunk bag slides off and has shoulder strap to carry it around.

$120 for both is well worth it. Skip the beers for a couple weekends and get one

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FIE3WI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000FIE3WI&linkCode=as2&tag=dealstoponlin-20&linkId=2JAH4AZ7ZJYSADXV

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZKES0S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000ZKES0S&linkCode=as2&tag=dealstoponlin-20&linkId=E5J7UOMYPKLW7FO6

There's this. I put it on my budget beater shopping bike because I wanted something to securely zip tie that shallow plastic crate to. It was working well but as I got more daring with loading up the front, the tab attaching it to the fork crown eventually broke so I replaced it with a piece of cheap flat steel that I bent into shape and drilled a couple holes to fit. Realizing the amount of weight I wanted to carry was going to be too much for those 3 anchor points, I decided to rig up some Wald basket struts between the front axle to the front of that small rack. Now I'm able to haul upwards of 20 lbs up front. I realize I could have simply ordered a Wald front basket but I prefer the shallow edges, look and fit of that plastic crate. The shallow Wald "pizza delivery" style rack sits too high up and is anchored to the handlebars. This puts my load lower over the wheel and gives me room to stack taller items without blocking my view.

I too was in your position OP. And I researched about portability comfort. Use of ingress and egress and style and price! My recommendation after 1yr of service is the mother fucking Wald folding basket. This thing is this shit. Here's why: it's cheap. Less than 30$. It looks good folded up! I can drop my backpack in it with my 16" laptop and a few books with ease. All that content being in my back pack. Once I get to school I just take my backpack out of the basket and folded it up if I want to or I just leave. It's awesome! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0012DZEBY?pc_redir=1410667964&robot_redir=1

They're nice and durable. I've placed 40lbs of stuff in it no prob. And all this ortlieb stuff is nice but way too fucking expensive if you ask me. And some of it looks weird as a backpack. Then the hooks That connect to your rack are running against your back and just ugh. This allows you to retain your original book bag

Thanks for the well thought out response! I'll have to look into some clipless shoes that still allow you to walk... I mostly "commute" to the movies, bank, etc. My work is a 7 mile ride, I sweat a lot, and work doesn't have showers... so I'm not too eager to ride to work yet.

Speaking of rear panniers, I was looking into buying this bag, what are your thoughts?

what up - check this thing out, it would be pretty much exactly what you need, and it would totally hold a milk crate (even though cheap panniers beat milk crate 10/10); https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AUY2OWW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_img?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1YDUCHVSJ2MEV&coliid=IW5GT4VKSC3B9

And if you get a milk crate - get one from lowes or home depot for like $8 as they will be way more rugged than anything you get at wally world or target. There's always stories floating around about people getting busted with 'stolen' crates they snagged from behind a grocery store, so dont do that

I love single speed and wouldn’t mind coasting every now and then but it’s going to be my winter bike as well and I want the feel of how much traction I’m getting.

But anyways, I have a “Topeak Super Tourist Tubular Bicycle Trunk Rack DX with Side Bar for Disc Brake Bikes” and SKS Raceblade XL fenders. I used 1/2 inch p clamps. I honestly haven’t test ridden it with the rack on there yet but I’ll report back when I do. I’ll probably carry no more than 20 pounds at once though.

On my large size Giant Escape 3, I have a Topeak Explorer MTX: http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-63107030-Explorer-Bike-Rack/dp/B000FIE3WI
I didn't shop around much, though, that's just what the LBS had in stock.

I did the install myself and it was pretty straightforward. The only tricky part was that you have to bend the front rails of the rack down to meet up with the seatstay mounting bolts, and make sure the rails give clearance for the "noodle" part of the rear brake.

I recently got these. Love them.

Rack

Panniers

I’m partial to my Axiom Streamliner. It tapers towards the top so it keeps a slim profile. It’s offset towards the rear so heel strike is not an issue. It doesn’t have a very substantial “shelf” on top so you can’t really balance things on top of it unless it’s strapped down.

Overall, it just looks so good to me.

I bike everywhere even during the summer months. One way to keep sweating to a minimum is to plan routes through quiet/shaded neighborhood streets, ride at a bit of a slower pace, get to know the topography to avoid hills, avoid wearing backpacks (get a rear rack on your bike and attach panniers to carry things), and avoid riding during the hottest part of the day if possible (3-5 PM).

There are commuter showers at Mellow Johnny's downtown. Outside of downtown, you can maybe look if there's a gym nearby your workplace (if they don't provide one) if you think you need to shower before work. That or you can bring a change of clothes and some wet wipes and clean yourself off a bit at your workplace's restroom.

Before heading out for a bike ride, take a cool shower. Getting rid of the germs on your skin lessens bad smells.

Another tip I recommend is to use the bus system. You can bring your bikes on all city buses via the rack on the front. For long commutes it helps to bus/train part of the way then bike the rest of the way.

For grocery shopping, you can actually do that on a bicycle pretty easily! I can't recommend these enough, I use them to grocery shop and they are very sturdy and can carry 2 big bags of food:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4ZKZK0/ref=asc_df_B00B4ZKZK03094547?smid=AOX84OWDPPJFO&tag=pgmp-1370-97-20&linkCode=df0&creative=395109&creativeASIN=B00B4ZKZK0

Just get some baskets and a rack on your bike if you don't have one (most bike shops can do this for you). I have these baskets for grocery shopping and they're effing awesome: http://www.amazon.com/Bushwhacker-Omaha-Bicycle-Grocery-Pannier/dp/B00B4ZKZK0

They fold up when not in use and you can keep a reusable bag or two in it

Take a look at this one. One of the things to look out for on road bikes without eyelets is that heel clearance is also shorter. This track mounts to the quick release and brake mount, plus moves the track back to provide more heel clearance when you’re panniers are on. They have a road version that just has a narrower platform on top but the dish version tends to get better reviews and has a normal sized platform for a crate, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Disc-Cycle-Black/dp/B004094HY2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=axiom+streamliner+disc+dlx+rear+rack&psc=1&qid=1572324935&sprefix=axiom+stre&sr=8-3

is there a specific keyword i should be using? or do i just have to find a lighter basket that just clamps to the handlebars?

i am trying to find a front basket that is at least 12x9.5 wide, but they all mount like the one above

i found this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MKHR6G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A15MD58ELY2BCA&psc=1

could i use that plus the basket, just having the basket clamped to the handlebars and "resting" on the rack?

i am not planning on putting a lot of weight there, just food/grocery type stuff

I use one of these on my Trek, it mounts via the brake caliper screw and the rear wheel's skewer, so it will work on any road bike, and can actually support a good deal of weight.

This rack will work. Best $30 bucks you'll spend:

http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Road-Cycle-Black/dp/B0025UCXEO

I have one that I've used for a few months. I love it. It can carry so much stuff, however I've started using a saddle bag more often recently. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00696K4E6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501389153&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bike%2Bframe%2Bbag&dpPl=1&dpID=51Gjh9LzauL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I have this Topeak rack on my commuter bike: http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-63107030-Explorer-Bike-Rack/dp/B000FIE3WI

I particularly like this Topeak trunk bag that you can easily slide on and off the rack:
http://www.amazon.com/MTX-Trunk-rigid-molded-panels/dp/B000ZKHN50

if you want panniers which are affordable you could go for these. Its not awesome like ortleib or vaude. but its something which would last at least a year or two if you take care of it.

https://www.amazon.com/BV-Panniers-Adjustable-Carrying-Reflective/dp/B00ESLVDIU/ref=sr_1_4?crid=25CUWT5ZU3FBV&keywords=panniers+for+bicycles&qid=1557945714&s=gateway&sprefix=panniers%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-4

I fitted the Pacer with an Axiom Streamliner Rack.
The rack sticks a few inches out of the rear axle to compensate for the short chainstay. It didn't solve heel strike and bike shimmy but it was a bit ambitious to expect the pacer to carry a load anyway.

Sunlite makes a front rack that fits a six pack well. Throw a bungee over the pack and you're good to go.

You could also buy a growler cage if you buy your beer in bulk

Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Wald-Folding-Rear-Mounted-Basket/dp/B0073TQIOS

plus this:
http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Road-DLX-Racks/dp/B003UWESMQ

That's assuming your backpack will fit inside that basket.

the link you shared are not the panniers he has. the ones he has (and that I have) are about $70. like I said...cheap.
https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Quick-Release-Weather-Panniers/dp/B00KW2ZIMQ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ibera+pakrak&qid=1558961477&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.com/Bushwhacker-Omaha-Bicycle-Grocery-Accessories/dp/B00B4ZKZK0

I have those, works for two huge, heavy bags quite well.

Also a bike that has the ability to add bags to the sides of the back wheel is very important for transporting. A heavy backpack on a bycicle is very tiring.

I got a Wald W582BL 582 Rear Folding Bicycle Basket (12.75 x 7.25 x 8.5, Black and the only installation issue was making sure that it was far enough back so that the heel of my big foot didn’t hit it while pedaling. It’s served me pretty well but needs a little silicone spray periodically to keep the folding points and locking latch moving smoothly.

Edit: url

It’s a cheap plastic target crate. Pretty flimsy.

I’m actually looking at getting this instead

Bushwhacker Omaha - Bicycle Grocery Pannier Cycling Rack Basket Bike Rear Bag Rear Accessories - Sold as Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4ZKZK0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SaHQDb50MCTFA

I use a Topeak Super Tourist DX and couldn't be happier.

Get a bike and throw some panniers on the back. Biking to AS is very easy.

Biking will make most of midtown, downtown, and the surround areas much more accessible.

Axiom DLX Streamliner Disc Cycle Rack, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004094HY2?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

I was able to mount this rack to my cyclocross bike which also doesn’t have any mounting eyelets on it. It worked perfect for me by putting the quick release skewer through the lower mounting points.

And then for the upper mounting points, there are two different options it comes with. Two adjustable arms for bikes that have the normal threaded eyelets on the frame behind the seat. Or a metal arm that bolts to the mounting point for normal brakes.

If you want to use the two adjustable arm option, you can buy a seat clamp that has threaded mounting points in it. Here’s that.

Axiom Trekk Seat Collar w/Rack Eyelets, 31.8mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025UQ3I6?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Here are some photos of my bike with both the rack and the threaded seat clamp.

https://imgur.com/gallery/5NFpk8M

I just recently purchased this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4ZKZK0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I am going to just put my backpack in the basket as I really like my current swiss gear backpack.

Gear up bike rack in dark walnut : https://www.amazon.com/gearup-OakRak-Ceiling-Storage-Golden/dp/B000TM96MM/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=bike+stand+wood&qid=1571391795&sr=8-9

I bought it because in my previous place I couldn't drill the walls.

I saw it on reddit a 2 or 3 years ago but I can't remember in which sub/post.

If you are crafty and have access to tools, it can easily be done by yourself.

 

Found the reddit post from u/scottstedman

https://www.reddit.com/r/malelivingspace/comments/4vth36/moved_into_a_new_place_tried_to_make_it_cozy/

I'm hesitant to replace the bag that I use every day and is still in great condition, just something that I can buy to make it so that I can still use it. After research, I found that I could get a this Topeak Bag and a Topeak Basket for groceries. I could fold my messenger bag and have enough room for stuffs.

Most/any rack will likely be fine. I have a Topeak explorer tubular rack, it wasn't very costly and has held up well for the last four years or so I've been using it on my daily commutes.

All this talk of bicycles yesterday made me stop for a selfie on my commute this morning. I don't ride a motorcycle, so here's my 2-wheeled steed.

This is the pier a half-mile from my work, so 9.5 miles into my morning ride. It's warm enough here to bike in shorts and a jersey in January!

• Kona Honky Inc, steel-frame with carbon fork.
  
• Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes.
  
• Ultegra/105 mash-up drivetrain with 105 shifters and Ultegra derailleurs.
  
• No rack braze-ons and disc brakes mean I had to hunt a bit for an appropriate rack. I chose not to go with the P-clip method and instead got this Axiom rack. Panniers are axiom as well.
  
• It's a short commute, so I often just do it in exercise shorts. Thinking of getting shorter running shorts, or moving to bicycling shorts, but this works fine for now. When it gets a bit colder I'll bike in jeans, but it's been a warm January.

Thanks for the reminder. It was such a whirlwind trying to get everything in BikeIndex and Garage529 and talking to the police that I forgot to put the details here.

For the Cannondale Synapse SE 105 Disc 2019 it is unfortunately a 2 month old bike so it doesn't have too much to distinguish it from a stock new bike. The only modifications that I did were reversible accessory additions like

• Shimano SPD PD-ED500 pedals
  
• gopro handlebar mount with the Cycliq Fly12 CE twist mount
  
• 2x black bottle holders
  
• Topeak Explorer Rack Without Spring with a Cycliq Fly6 camera mount attached
  
• cell phone holder on the stem
  
• Upstand bike stand
  
  The bike rack looks a little out of place compared to the rest of it as it is actually a little beat up from wear on a previous bike. It also sports a Cambridge Bicycle store sticker. Serial number MD21685
  
  For the Marin Fairfax SC4 Belt 2018 it is a little easier. It has a bike room sticker for EF Education first. It also has the same Topeak bike rack which is beat up from a car accident. The left rear side of the rack is bent in slightly. It also has one of the water bottle holders and has the normal Cycliq Fly12CE camera mount directly attached. The belt drive is also fairly unusual so I am hoping it stands out more. It also has a sticker for Farina's in Watertown and the serial number appears to be 041716870 MRN-111-01-190.

Does it have eyelets though?

edit: if it doesn't, you could try something like this

> I’m getting ready to launch a rear bike rack pannier

That's just called a rear bike rack. A pannier is the bag that goes onto a bike rack (more or less).

> Here's a picture of it

So you're selling the Ibera Bike Rack?

You can get Metal Baskets for the rear rack. They collapse and stay on the bike, very meh looking, but that's better isn't it?
edit:
here

I have one of these - they can hold two bikes and look great. They work with tension between the floor and ceiling so you don’t need to drill holes:

gearup OakRak Floor to Ceiling Storage Rack, Golden Pecan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TM96MM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mSxMDbNDDBT4H

Option A that goes against N+1: Crud roadracer 2 fenders and an Axiom Streamliner rack.

Option B: N+1 Cross bike/ light tourer/ randonneur. Unless your stem is slammed on a short headtube race geometry bike you should be able to replicate your current position on a new bike relatively easily. While considering N+1 also consider disc brakes and wider tires.

I use these along with two large insulated shopping bags. The panniers stay on the bike all the time and I just take the shopping bags into the store.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4ZKZK0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have this cooler for my 1/2 gallon of milk

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TT4LEBC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

the combo easily lets me get groceries for 2 for a week

FWIW I used these every day all last summer without issue: https://smile.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Clip-on-Quick-Release-Panniers/dp/B009LNOXF0/ref=pd_sim_468_12?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B009LNOXF0&pd_rd_r=HMXDHHDFM28KD6DMQ0RP&pd_rd_w=h5S82&pd_rd_wg=NeSH1&psc=1&refRID=HMXDHHDFM28KD6DMQ0RP

This rack: https://smile.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-IB-RA4-Non-Disc-Frame-Mounted/dp/B002T5H8MW/ref=pd_bxgy_468_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002T5H8MW&pd_rd_r=AS4WPBTSD6MSHYPGNT6G&pd_rd_w=Tukkq&pd_rd_wg=wvdFy&psc=1&refRID=AS4WPBTSD6MSHYPGNT6G

$120ish all in, but worth it.

Some racks use a single support arm that connects to the brake bridge bolt. Axiom stream liner road dlx.

Sunlite Gold Tec. Mounts right to the canti bosses on your fork, as well as the fork crown. Solid little rack for cheap.

The other replies are right about the lack of mounting holes on the top of the seatstays, and their solutions. Another alternative is that some racks mount onto the centre brake caliper bolt like this one.

I use these $60 for two basket panniers. I put a reusable grocery sack that will fit both panniers when they are folded up so I can carry them into work. They should work with almost any rack. You can zip tie them if you want to leave them attached to the bike.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000TM96MM/ref=redir_mdp_mobile


Here's one that looks exactly like mine except the brackets that hold the bikes are metal instead of felt lined oak.

Except don't wear a backpack. They make your back all sweaty. Use a trunk bag like this one instead.

Another option is something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Wald-Folding-Bicycle-Basket-12-75/dp/B0012DZEBY/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1492789879&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A2764782011

Fits one reusable shopping bag, and folds away when not needed.

BV Bicycle Strap-On Saddle/Seat Bag, Medium, Black https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00A3W8EG2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xzhmDb7QHQSTX

I have the medium version of this one. Inside there is a spare inner tube, tube sealing stickers (for when the inner tube is repairable), 2 tyre removing tools, 3 allen keys (for every bolt size present on my bike), a presta to shrader adapter and a pair of vinyl gloves. When I ride I also fit my phone, a small battery pack and a usb c cable.

All of this is in the unextended position of the bag.

Get a bike with a rear rack and some kind of panniers like these for hauling groceries. You could also get a more traditional pannier that closes like a backpack, or a “trunk bag” for the rack if you plan to use it for more than just a quick grocery run.

Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Ibera-Bicycle-Touring-Frame-Mounted-Adjustable/dp/B00DWKUAZK/ref=pd_sbs_468_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00DWKUAZK&pd_rd_r=W5QJTYPPC8W58TBPKGT1&pd_rd_w=4SvEw&pd_rd_wg=JbWS4&psc=1&refRID=W5QJTYPPC8W58TBPKGT1

I think I have that rack, this is my rack

Axiom DLX Streamliner Road Cycle Rack, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025UCXEO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YJOrybPKAG2WZ

I have it on my carbon road bike. With a stopwatch it took me five minutes to take on or off, and so when I ride with other people I take it off so they don't give me funny looks :)

I guess I see what you mean, but I'm so detached from the bar scene that I really don't know what is appropriate. A backpack also seems awkward? Maybe you'd prefer something like this and just leave it on the bike: http://www.amazon.com/Bushwhacker-Omaha-Bicycle-Grocery-Pannier/dp/B00B4ZKZK0/ref=sr_1_14?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1464531744&

Topeak Tote on a Topeak Tourist rack if anyone is curious.

its this cheap one. works OK with the Wald 137 for groceries or my backpack. Don't think I would trust it for anything very heavy

They're super common, and shouldn't be a big deal to find. If you do have trouble, there's always amazon.

Assuming this is your bike, you're going to have a hard time attaching racks. Maybe a seatpost bike rack will work. But they don't hold much weight. I wouldn't trust it with a laptop or college textbooks. Bikes with rear suspension really don't accommodate racks very well. If you're using your bike a lot for commuting back and forth to school, it would probably be worth trading in the bike to something more appropriate for commuting.

Here are a few I just found on Amazon. No experience with them though..

Topeak

Racktime

Axiom

Edit: the topeak I linked is the disc version. They make a non disc as well, seems to be the same price.

The seat clamp is a good option. Another choice is a rack that attaches to the caliper mount, like the Axiom Streamliner, but I'm not sure if that will interfere with your brakes or not.

Also my favorite upgrade was the rear rack. I stopped having the back sweat patch from backpacks.

Explorer Rack Without Spring, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FIE3WI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_16VXCbPYK7JYQ

Well there is the new Rawland rack that attaches to brazeons not Canti studs.

There is the cheap Sunlite rack in black

Everything else I know of is bigger and or mounts to the fork dropouts. Simworks, Pass&Stow, HaulinColin all come in black.

They are on amazon and I think their website is http://m-wave-bike.com/ not sure if you can buy through them there.
Here is an amazon link to their double pannier


He

http://www.amazon.com/Axiom-Streamliner-Road-Cycle-Black/dp/B0025UCXEO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406760876&sr=8-3&keywords=axiom+bike+rack

I went with this because I was concerned about heelstrike issues due to the seatstay angle. Turns out that it was a good choice but didn't prevent me from grazing the large bags when fully packed. Which is why I put the big bags up front and the mini's in back.

The bags are Ortlieb Backrollers.

Within your price range you can get folding baskets. I like to use grocery panniers. The latter is more expensive but also lighter weight.

I like this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012DZEBY/

It's a wire box that folds flat against your bike when you aren't using it. Perfect for my backpack, hoodie, and a couple other things. Or a grocery bag.

That's a bike rack, not a seat. Here's the amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-63107030-Explorer-Bike-Rack/dp/B000FIE3WI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1346624054&sr=8-3&keywords=bike+rack