Commuting - Rack or fenders (have money burning a hole in my pocket)???

I just got my REI dividend in the amount of ~$27 and it's burning a hole in my pocket. Before the winter hit, I was getting into bike commuting with a couple key items and a backpack. Now I want to get a little more serious.

One thing that has bothered me about the backpack is it covers almost all of my riding vest (the safety yellow/green color) so the benefit of the vest is nearly nullified. So I'm considering a rack but I have a unique arrangement; the bike is an old Schwinn mtn. bike (for 26" wheels) running 700c wheels and smooth tires for pavement pounding. The frame has the lower braze-ons at the dropouts, but not on on the seat stays. I have tried to use an old rack I had laying around, but it does not clear the tire. Do the newer racks have longer supports so a 700c wheel on a 26" wheel frame won't pose a clearance issue? Some say that they can be used with both, so I'm assuming they manufacture the rack to have a lot of clearance around a 26" wheel, and tighter on a 700c, but I'm not sure. The seatpost clamp style racks don't seem to be rated for the weight I may carry, especially if I ever want to do an overnight/multi-day trail or road ride. I was thinking of the following rack as it should be able to be mounted to any bike I own:

Axiom Odyssey Rear Suspension (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47916961&parent_category_rn=4500850&vcat=REI_SSHP_CYCLING_TOC)


Any other options I should consider from REI? I'd like to stay around $27 so this is a free/mostly free acquisition!

Or is my money better spent on fenders for my commuter? I do wear a separate set of clothes so getting gunk thrown on me isn't that big of a deal. I'm relatively new to the game so I'm looking for others opinions.

Thanks!

I can't help you with the rack..I don't use one, but I can tell you that fenders make a world of difference. Unless you are hauling a huge load on your back, a backpack is just fine - put some reflective tape on it and then go out and get some good fenders. Fenders will turn a completely uncomfortable misearably wet and gritty ride into a fully pleasant one. They make me WANT to ride on wet days. If there is a hint of precipitation in the forecast, I won't leave home without em.

Fenders first then the rack. Plus with the rack you will need a bag of some sort to use the rack effectively which will exceed your budget.
As for racks any rack designed to a 700c/27" wheel should work fine. Some are adjustable, some are designed for the larger size and others have two different sizes. Use a set of P-clips to attach the rack to the seat stays (REI has them in thier online catalog).
Unless you live in a very dry enviroment fenders are a very good idea for a commuter. They keep you and the bike much cleaner and drier any time the roads are wet.
Craig

Fenders without a doubt as comfort is key. Then take your vest and pin it to your backpak. I have a lightbelt for jogging and I attach that to my bag as it covers the back lights on my jacket as well.

www.cyclight.com the coolest piece of riding gear I've EVER had.

I disagree. I say, by all means, rack first. Of course I live in a dry climate.

If I had to choose, I'd get fenders first. I could get by with a backpack, but I'd hate to be without fenders.
When you go to get a rack eventually, get one that has a jog in the rear strut; if it's just a triangle, the bag can swing back and sneak into your spokes (this happened to me)
IOW, This:
http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/small/AS-EXR.gif
not this:
http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/small/NA-R2.gif

I'm using Nashbar ATB panniers. They're not waterproof or anything special, but they're working great for me and are very cheap. I've had them > 1.5 years of near daily use of one of them (the other is basically unused) and no problems. They go on sale for $24 a pair once in a while. So rack + panniers should be a bit < $50.

dry? That's a Martini, not a climate right? lol....lucky bugger

I would go with the fenders first. Not only do they keep you dry in the wet, but I believe they help keep your drivetrain freer of road muck.
For the backpack over the vest problem, have you tried putting the vest over the backpack. Works OK for me.

I have thought of the vest over the pack idea. The only hesitation I have is there are a lot of brain-dead SUV driving soccer mom's pulling in and out of the 2 schools along my route and visibility from the front is nearly as (if not more than) important as being seen from the back. I have had a couple almost pull out in front of me because they were more focused on the kids in the back. If that fateful day ever comes, I want the cop to be able to scream at the woman, "How did you not see him!?!?!?!?!" I may have to look into a blinky LED light, or regular headlight for the front as well.

But it seems that fenders are the items I should be going after. These look promising and are within budget:

Planet Bike HC fenders (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47902638&parent_category_rn=4500787&vcat=REI_SEARCH)
http://images.rei.com/media/216265.jpg

Another vote for the fenders. It's another surface for mounting reflective stuff and lights.

I vote for fenders. A rack is a close second due to our lovely climate in Denver. Highs 20s in the morning and 60s in the afternoon. I need the capacity to haul clothing back home.

Also, the fenders in that pict are the exact ones I ordered from REI. They only had the quick and ez version in stock when I visited. Nothing quick and ez about them. Flippin things won't fit my fork.

I make my own fenders from coreplas a couple straightened coat hangers and zapstraps.... better than any store bought. No rattles, bolts, breaks .... bullet proof

If that fateful day ever comes, I want the cop to be able to scream at the woman, "How did you not see him!?!?!?!?!"

Won't happen. You could be towing a trailer with an aluminum christmas tree with 10,000 watts of lights playing the star-spangled banner at 400 watts, but if you're on two wheels, it'll still be your fault for being on the road at all.

"I make my own fenders from coreplas a couple straightened coat hangers and zapstraps.... better than any store bought. No rattles, bolts, breaks .... bullet proof"
I love DIY projects! Where did you get your corplas? Do you have any pictures? How much do they weigh?

"I make my own fenders from coreplas a couple straightened coat hangers and zapstraps.... better than any store bought. No rattles, bolts, breaks .... bullet proof"
I love DIY projects! Where did you get your corplas? Do you have any pictures? How much do they weigh?

Check this (http://www.mile43.com/peterson/FendForYourself.html) link.

art shops ...Loomis and Tooles kinda places, even have colours so you can go matchy matchy if you want. Grams each, so light, won't freeze 'cept maybe in "extreme cold".

Front mounts to frame, been too lazy to do the fork version but it can be done with some nifty knife and scissor work to slip under the brakes. Then the coat hangers slip down the corplas holes and allow for curves that stay. I've ridden over piles of snow that grab the fender and it merely bends to accommodate then springs back to shape. Having a slight wobble in the coat hanger will keep it nestled in it's corplas channel. I use my down tube so I don't get the toe hitting the fender in a turn.

For the back, I didn't bother.. this years winter was too wimpy, and have been using my clip on. I have in the past made some that actually protected the front derailleur, the brakes from the crap coming up from the road, and it would channel the shushy **** to the side and back to the road. The back one would have a sharp bend in it (used a 2x4 and pulled the fender up to create the tight fold in the coreplas/wire) under the breaks with a cut in to accommodate and then straight out over the back wheel ala motocross style....

Zero road spray on me or the bike at all and all I had to wear was booties, but I'm pretty sure I could work out something that would do that to. Then the zapstraps, nylon ties... getto cuffs, merely slip through little hole on either side of the centre wire to go around the frame.

The design will vary on the bike and cabling, I'm super lucky that my downtube is cable free. Though on a previous ride I sliced the top of the corplas down one thin line and ran the cabling inside the fender, shifting was a little tougher due to resistance but still worked well.

Experiment, it can be pretty cool what you come up with. I'll see if I can grab a pic of my front. Totally cheap, bullet proof and better than anything you can buy because you make it to protect your bike specifically, something you can't get from a store.

and much nicer than those in that link. :p to be fair they are signs so WORD to that.

Fenders.....without a doubt. I like my backpack and I love my fenders. Traffic Jammer's stuff looks cool though, if you aren't OCP or anything.

what is OCP?