On Floria, grumbles about the rack

There was an intermittent pinging sound coming from Floria die Fledermoose's hindquarters this morning which I studiously ignored until a red light on Cavendish. Looking back, I was horrified to discover that the one of the pieces of metal between the rack and the seat stay had come adrift. Moreover, it was the sheet metal of the rack itself that had broken. The words "metal fatigue" probably cover the the reason. I rode the rest of the way to work grumbling that wasn't it a pity that there was no longer a Canadian Tire (or other such store) in the mall across from work where I might buy a few washers and put it all to right.

I debated whether I should head over after work to the MEC for a new rack, go to a hardware store instead of or before going to the gym. Fate intervened before I made a decision: on the way back from work the rack broke on the other side in the same place. I had to affix the milk crate and rack to my backpack in order to get them home.
The "slots" in the central piece of metal show where the braces were and the metal that broke off. The lower slot was the one that broke first. This was an MEC mountain rear cycling rack. In order to get a replacement quickly, I cannibalized the silver coloured MEC seatstay rear cycling rack from Leonardo. In the process, I noticed that the latter rack had sturdier attachment points than the former (which were sheet aluminum). Consequently, I think I will get a new MEC seatstay rear cycling rack for Leonardo in black, instead of a new MEC mountain rear cycling rack for die Fledermoose. The advantages being a sturdier rack and that a black rear rack on Leonardo will match its black front rack! Trivial: yes. But as both racks cost the same, why not have Leonardo colour coordinated?