Originally Posted by AuntieM
cooker, where would we get a rear rack or saddlebags?
Actually it depends partly on how far she'll need to ride...if only a mile or less, a backpack is probably fine, but if she is off campus and has to commute a few miles, carrying the weight on your bike instead of your back is a lot more comfortable and your back doesn't get as sweaty.
You can buy these accessories at any bike store, but she'll have to take the bike in to see what works...for example, not all bikes have eyelets near the rear axle to hold the rack posts, and the pannier has to be far enough up and back that her heel doesn't hit it. Road bikes have bigger wheels and frames, so they have more room back there, and I was thinking of the road bike when I posted the message, but a rear rack could go on many mountain bikes too. If you browse through the thread on commuter bicycle pics in the commuting section of this forum you'll see some examples of what I'm talking about.
Robert