re: "What is riding with a rear rack like?" since I was a kid all my "10-speeds" aka "road bikes" have had rear racks. I can't imagine going for a ride without carrying something with me. The older racks had a spring clip so you didn't have to fuss with a bungee cord etc. Now I have a small rack trunk for most every ride except when we do family rides to the beach or wifey and I do a day on the bikes. Then one of more of us use a larger trunk. Anyway, I find them very convenient and easy to use. I do have to fight the tendency to carry more than I need, just because I can. So, I often do a re-think of the trunk contents. All the bikes in our family have rear racks. To us, it's like a reflector or a bottle holder. To the OP, try one and see how you like it. You can always take it off and sell it or gift it to another cyclist.
Last edited by rumrunn6; 01-05-15 at 02:15 PM.