Originally Posted by
granto
My cheapness and desire to recycle free stuff I find overrides any desire to be pragmatic or functional. And it has a sweet folding basket!
Gotcha. Well, in that case, you might see what you can find in the way of modern-design racks for cheap at your local bike co-op. In my experience, Pletscher rack + Wald folding basket + groceries = bent, useless Pletscher rack, real fast. You can try it and see how it goes, though.
BTW, a good material for protecting the seat stays from the Pletscher rack attachment: thick rubber hose, such as automotive fuel line. Bike inner tubes will do for a while, but they tend to wear through.