It's been a long time since I had a bike without a rack. If it doesn't come with one, adding one is one of the first steps to getting a bike street-worthy. But a case could be made for a folder. Especially because I find that with the smaller wheel-base on one of my folders, combined with the low position of the rack mean that anything wider than the rack itself will cause heel strike. Still, even on the one bike of mine that still has this issue, I leave the rack on. I don't feel like it interferes with the fold, and even if it seldom does anything else, it gives me a place to put my U-lock.

I have been thinking that with my Raleigh Twenty, if I want to do some light touring on it, I may pull a trailer, rather than use panniers, in which case I might leave the rack off when I want to carry more, which is odd. But then even if I'm not intending to use it, it comes in handy. I'm commuting mostly on a full sized touring bike, and every time I think about removing at least the front rack when I'm not touring, I remember a time when it came in handy in the recent past. And when I do occasionally ride somewhere with no pannier or trunk bag, too often I find myself struggling to get home with something that would have easily been accommodated by my regular gear.

So I can see the reason for wanting to keep it light and simple, but whenever I try it, I find myself regretting the lost storage space.