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1. Get a light you can mount on the rack...the one on your seat bag is going to be next to useless angled downward as it is. A different seat bag might help...the Avenir Big Mouths have one of the better blinky attachment straps I've seen, but either way two blinkies are better than one.

2. The seat bag is going to make it harder to use your rack if you need to, consider using a trunk bag (which you can also mount a blinky on), or going to an actual rack, rather than a seatpost mounted one, which might end up lower, thus allowing you to use both a seatbag and the rack.

3. Consider using 2 water bottle cages

4. Consider some bar-ends...you will appreciate the additional hand positions.

one of your grips is on backwards


good luck! let us know how it works out. I am going to start commuing again this week as well.
I would recommend some light as well. front and rear blinkies

You'll be fine. Just start riding, and you'll figure out what you need pretty quickly.

wow I never noticed the grip on backward

Like a different bike. Don't worry it happens to us all. I commute on numerous different bikes.

Seatpost racks are overheavy and underuseful. Also if those are stock pedals with a plastic body and metal cage, don't expect them to last long, maybe 500 miles, before it's time to replace them.

To be honest I only put the post rack on because I like the way the bike looks with it. I am considering the folding baskets though. Much depends on the feed back in that thread though

Thanks I got my hand grips all squared away LOL. I have my lighting all set. I am running a Cygolight with 350 lumens. I am running the Mightycross 350

http://www.cygolite.com/products/index.html

The blinky light that is on my seat bag is now on the back of my helmet and I have another Blinky on my Fanny pack at the center of my lower back. I would like a light on the back of my rack but we will see. I might stop at my LBS tomorrow and grab a few things

I'm thinking about buying the Mightycross. After you've used it for a while, please post a critique.

Well out of the box I like some of the features. The mounts are well designed, secure but not difficult to use. The lamp stays on the handlebars and the battery is secure with a double wrap around the neck with wide Velcro strap. There is a second mount for the helmet that mounts through the vent holes similar to the battery pack with a Velcro strap, again very snug with a double wrap. the lamp will move very easily from the handlebars to your helmet mount. There is a 3 foot extension Cord for the battery pack to put in in your backpack, pocket, water bladder or what ever. Off the top of my head I am thinking easy lighting for road repairs and put the battery in my back pocket, move the lamp to your helmet. Leave a mount on the helmet and the handlebars full time. The SOS feature is pretty cool too assuming somebody recognizes Morse Code. $215- was the price on the box, I will let you know how it holds up.

Thanks for the 'out of the box' info. I'll patiently wait for the critique. :) Of course, I'm especially interested in what it's like at night (beam pattern, throw etc.), but also, how attention grabbing it is in flash mode in the daytime. :)

I drove Tractor Trailer rigs for years & I can tell you running light during the day does increase your visibility considerably. Flashing lamps will certainly draw attention to you so you are noticed. Humans are carnivores with the eyes of a hunter, your eyes are designed to detect movement.

I started shopping lamps a couple of months ago and this was the one I liked best for what I was willing to spend. I did test several of them in a long dark room inside to get a feel for the difference in the models I was interested in. Dusk & Dawn are the most difficult times to be seen and that is when most of us moving around. I didn't want to skimp out on my lighting.

I kinda lost track of this thread so if someone has already mentioned this sorry. I used to run a Blackburn strobe and a nightRider on the front. I swear it seemed like people drove toward the strobe. They were on the opposite side of the road and I usually stay in the right tire track so I never had any close calls but it seems like more people strayed left of center. So I took off the strobe and I dont think I have seen an oncoming car left of center since. Hope I did not jinx myself.

Oh a second back light might be a good idea. Got to work the other day and noticed the back light was so dim noone could have seen it. Batteries burn out and when you first turn it on they are kinda bright, but dim quickly. I am still thinking over a second back light or just try to remember changing the batteries,

Even with the dynamo powered lights on my Superbe, I still use a PBSF battery-powered blinky...and I'll add either my Stella or P7 as a headlight come the dark days of fall-spring.

I know and agree about the daytime flashing lights. Right now I'm using 2 Bell 'i-pulse'.
They're more attention grabbing, than the 1 watt Blaze in superflash mode.
I really think that a 350 lumen flashing light is the way to go, though. :)

I did about 16 miles this morning. I did notice I extended a great deal of courtesy. I was offered the right away ate every intersection but then it could be that I am very cute, LOL maybe not. I did feel a positive reaction from the lighting up front.