NOS88

Ok, relax and take a deep breath. There's nothing you're experiencing that others haven't. In terms of racks and panniers, you should be thinking in terms of how much total weight you think you'll be carrying. Base rack decision on just a bit more weight than that. While many will have their personal favorites, I've never been really unhappy with any rack I've had in the last 30 years, and I've had quite a few. In terms of panniers, I think the closer you yet to water proof the better. I'm also and advocate of splitting the load. That is if you're commuting you won't need really large bags. I've tried running just one large pannier and two smaller ones. I like the two smaller ones so that when the load is small, you just take one off. OK, yes leather saddles can bleed and stain clothes. At least that's been my experiences. However, that's never stopped me from using them. I generally wear dark (navy blue or black) pants and it hasn't been a problem.