My experience with a total of about five different racks suggests that any rack (at least racks by reputable bike companies) work perfectly for normal daily loads. Right now I use two axiom racks and a Blackburn rack, with no problems. Blackburn, Planet Bike, Wald, Topeak, ... should all be fine as long as you're not carrying food and water on long unsupported trips. You could also look for used ones on eBay. Make sure there are at least two bars down to the seat stays, to keep the panniers from touching the wheels.
You're right that those Banjo Brothers panniers can hold a lot, but they're soft-sided with a roll top, so they can also get pretty small when they're empty and you don't want them to catch the wind.
Originally Posted by
nuclear_biker
Not too much has been said about racks. Are they pretty standard in size? I noticed a few maker offer mounting systems like MTX, which I probably won't need for now. I'm worried about getting one that's too wide if I try and use panniers that lay over the rack instead of attaching to the side.
I guess everybody is a little different. I'm not too arched over, the backpack just seemed to fit awkwardly. The worst part in my opinion is even if its pretty tight to your back it will slide around when you turn, which, when you're sweating, causes chaffing and also changes balance.