The bags on the TFT are battery packs. They are for the forward facing Dinotte lights on the handlebar. One is a white light for seeing where I'm going and the other is an amber flasher so others can see me. There aren't any wires running to the rear though. I have a seat bag wedged into the space between the seat and the lower frame rail. There is a velcro strap that goes around the frame rail to hold it in place.
Yes, 098 is going to work well as my speedy commuter. I've already matched my best pace and I'm still getting used to riding it. I'm looking forward to dry, clean roads. I have yet to ride it where I didn't have to deal with dampness of one form or another. I started out with the Duranos but I hit a rock and put a dangerous-looking slice in the rear tire. The Duranos did a lot better in the wet than I expected. I now have a Durano front and an Ultremo rear. The Durano actually felt more secure on damp pavement but I'm going to put an Ultremo on the front to have matched set. I should also try wider tires. The 23's are pretty hard and narrow.
Here's a shot of the Axiom rack and how it attaches. It's bolted to the unsprung section of the rear triangle. I don't think that it would interfere with the suspension but maybe I'm not seeing it right. The Axiom rack isn't as pretty as the Old Man Mountain racks, but it's longer and supports the Arkel bag better.
The clearance between the rack and the top of the tire is pretty minimal. It's only a few millimeters. It hasn't been an issue, but I'll probably take a Dremel to the rack and increase the clearance.