There is a class of roadbike somewhere between a race bike and a tourers. The modern versions have clearance for 28mm tyres + fenders (using long drop calipers), rack and fender eyelets.
They come in steel or aluminium. In the UK you can even get them in carbon.
eg
Soma ES

I don't have a list of mainstream brand versions.

The disc-brake road/CX bike is a slightly heavier duty version, with more tyre clearance, good for wet conditions.
Full-on touring bikes are only needed if you haul loads.

Luggage racks work best when bolted to the frame. QR beam racks are a huge compromise in effectiveness. Eyelets on the frame are a tiny compromise in looks, and you don't have to use them all the time.

Put a set of bar ends on the MTB and continue to use it for commuting. My normal commuter is a 16 lbs carbon race bike (11 mi each way) with a pack. This week I tested commuting on my MTB, which is full suspension, 2.35" super knobby tires (Hans Dampf), but well tuned and in great condition. My commute time increased by about 10%. With slicks and a rack you'll be within 5-10 minutes of a road bike for your commute.

For me it would depend on the desired Fred level of the bike in question. I wouldn't do it to a Caad10. That Soma ES is made for it and would look great with polished racks. Or you might look into rando bikes.

I have three bikes now; a light 1984 Nishiki International 12-speed roadbike, drop-bars, no fenders, no rack...A somewhat heavy 1997 Nishiki Blazer 21-speed MTB-based commuter with straight bar, inboard bar ends (a sort of jockey position) and aero bar with street tires and custom high gears for cruising, fenders and rack...and now, a middle-weight 2015 Charge Plug 18-speed, skinny steel tube, semi-touring, (gravelbike?) which has a rack and no fenders (...yet). I've had time to ride the new bike on all my commuting routes (9-miles) and my average times for all three bikes are the same. All three bike computers don't count time stopped for lights) I think the similar times are due to riding in traffic. If this is your case, (riding in traffic), You can still be sporty and fun, but I suggest you choose comfort, sturdiness and utility over all out speed.

Photos added to post #10

He wants to race...

I commute on my road bike quite often. I have a carradice SQR bag:

SQR Slim saddlebag

There are bags that are larger than this one that use the SQR system. I weighed how much gear I toted today in the bag.. it was 13 lbs. Clothes for work, wool sweater (too warm to wear on the way home), bike tools, tubes, rag, lock and cable, a couple of battery chargers, lunch, and some diabetic supplies. It was a little tight.. but we made it fine. It beats a backpack like a rag doll. Difficult to get a rack on a carbon fiber frame. I can get the carradice bag off the seat post in less than 10 seconds.

The attachment on the seat post is small enough and light enough that I just leave it there when I go on a club ride. In that case I just carry a small under seat saddle pack that has enough room for a patch kit, tube, and tire levers. It fits fine with the carradice SQR attachment still on the seatpost. But, the attachment itself only takes a minute to remove and 2 minutes to reinstall if you're going to race. I think you're fine leaving the attachment to the seatpost when you're training.

I can't say that I've seen a better solution for a road bike. I have a touring bike also for really wet days that has a rack, panniers, fenders, and dynamo hub and lights. It's a utilitly bike... not nearly as fun to ride as the road bike. Get your CAAD 10.

My favorite commuters have been vintage road bikes or a modern cross bike with sti shifters. Much prefer the modern shifting, so that's my vote. It's pretty easy to find them with racks for commuting, and they have good tire clearance. You don't sacrifice much in terms of performance either when compare to a road bike.

Thanks! Now it looks so simple!

Most Jamis Road bikes have eyelets for racks, I like a rack with small bag, have them on all bikes except my Vintage Mercier who only gets taken on short rides.

No braze-ons, no problem!
 

Whatever your decision, don't let the fact that you don't have braze-ons/eyelets for a rear rack sway your decision...

My hybrid commuter bike has braze-ons for a rear rack, but I don't use them anymore. I used to use a rack and panniers, and I'm so glad (for so many different reasons) that I don't anymore. After stumbling across Lose The Car, I found the perfect setup. It uses an awesome, waterproof trunkbag which slides on rails to a heavy duty rear rack that mounts securely to your seatpost. Here's the actual link to the right part of the Lose The Car website: Gear Storage ? Lose The Car

Anyways, instead of hauling your stuff to your bike in the rain and snow and trying to stuff everything into your panniers, you can pack your bag (and it holds way more than panniers, by the way) inside your office, then carry it out to your bike and slide it onto your rear rack. It's super fast and easy! I tried to upload a picture of it on my bike, but the file size was too big, so just go to the website: Lose The CarLose The Car and click on "Gear Storage". I hate to plug products, but this one made my life a lot easier, maybe it will help you, too.

Good luck!

You can put a Carradice seat bag on virtually any bike, and they will hold as much more cargo than most rack top bags and some panniers. If you buy the Carradice Bagman rack with quick release, you can easily add or remove your bag in seconds.

I am a lot like you.

I wanted to use a 10 mile (one way) commute as daily training for the velodrome. I got a vintage steel race bike to commute on. Fast fun durable inexpensive.

I hate backpack sweat, and I don't like the unsprung weight and wind resistance of panniers (I cruse 20-21mph on my commute). So, I got a timbuk2 messanger bag for my clothes, laptop, and lunch. No sweat on my back, no drawbacks of a heavy feeling bike with panniers.

Good luck with the training and racing!

P.S. A frame bag is an option too, if your load is small enough to fit in there. I like these:
https://www.revelatedesigns.com/inde...ngle-Frame-Bag

A lot of cyclocross frames have braze-ons out the wazoo and they are great for triathlons for instance. I just now caved and put a rack on what had been my dedicated 'roadbike' because I couldn't find a luggage option that worked for me w/o a rack. The rack for this one only has one upper connection and goes on the same bolt as the rear brake, it would work for any bike that has fender eyelets.

Three things I've seen or done that may or may not be possible for you : a) I used to put my youngest in the bike trailer for naps and take her out for 3 hr rides b) a neighbor where we used to live was an ultramarathoner and would put both his kids in a 2-seat jog stroller for 30 mile training runs and c) my wife is the runner in our family and we alternate training/recreational outings where she runs for x hours one day and I bike for y hours another

Is the Bagman rack compatible with bags made by other companies, or does it just work with Carradice bags?

Edit: Google knows! It looks like it would work at least with Dill Pickle Bags: http://www.gravelbike.com/?p=1540

Training for racing can be done on any bike with drop bars and several gears.

I'd always go for rack and mudguards on a commuting bicycle. On any bicycle that isn't used 100% for training to be precise.

But each should choose for themselves.

The Bagman rack should work with other bags, depending on how they are designed to attach to the bike. If a bag is designed to attach to the back of a Brooks saddle, it should fit the Bagman.

Fuji Bikes | LIFESTYLE | CROSS TERRAIN | TOURING

http://www.fujibikes.com/images/bike...URING_side.jpg

- Andy

If it were 3x8 with friction (instead of index) bar end shifters - it would be perfect! :) Oh, and some nice RED colour. Still very nice though! :)

Fiji Touring is a nice, well-priced std touring bike, but at 27lbs, is no lightweight.
In the UK, the benchmark practical roadbike is Kinesis Racelight T2: long-drop calipers, rack and fender fittings and an advanced aluminium frame by Kinesis, one of the "Big Five" Taiwanese frame factories.

You don't like the 9x3?

This is one of 3 long distance bikes I'd buy from ASI. The other 2 are the breezer beltway elite & breezer greenway elite. If you check the specs you'll see why I like the other two.

- Andy

Almost 2x more expensive chains and cassettes. Also derailleurs move less when changing gears, making them even more sensitive to dirty/stuck cables/housing. No thank you. 3x6 gets me anywhere I want, 3x8 is more than enough. For me at least. :)

The Bagman rack is different product than the SQR. I have a Bagman also. Used it on the touring bike. It's a little more "permanent" than the SQR block that mounts to the seatpost. I believe you can buy adapters for any bag that will work with the SQR. The SQR is a little nicer for a road/race bike. I'd say Bagman is more of a commuter/light touring solution. I'm not using my Bagman. SQR on the road bike. Rear rack and panniers on the touring/commuter bike. I don't have a "tweener" right now that would be a good match for the Bagman.

The OP mentioned that he would like to jump into a race occasionally. CAAD 10 would be a nice bike for that. There aren't a lot of bikes that lean toward the "commuter" type of bike that I would feel competitive racing. Carradice SQR gets you by as a commuter, but keeps all your options open on a race bike.

I have a front Pannier rack , I can stop , and put on my rain gear quickly, if needed, that way.

I do want to race, ... but I wonder if I would be happier with a reliable sturdy bike for the lifestyle i'm trying to push. I will definitely get the most riding in on the commute. I might have the potential to get a new cervelo R2 for 50% off and i'm kind of wanting to jump on it, but then I think about putting bags on it and I feel like i'll just end up taking my old bike for the commute and it won't get the love it needs. I'm kind of leaning towards a steel frame clubman style bike right now but i'm not sure.


The other part to this is that I am also wanting to get a big dummy or xtracyle with the family package to try to convert my weekend errands to a bike. My main drive is to make biking easy and fun all the time. I do like racing but i'm wondering if I really want to pursue it or if I would rather just push on making the rest of my life complete with built in biking.



I have bike trailers and jogging strollers and a tag along bike. The oldest is getting too big for the trailers. It works great for the half marathon training distance but there is grumbling when I try to take it longer.