Butchers bikes have always had the basket closer to the front wheel and some kind of support underneath the basket. This is a picture of a modern Pashley mailstar: http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/mailstar.html
Note the positioning of the basket under the handlebars, the support underneath it, and how the front wheel is smaller than the back to keep the weight lower.
For touring, I think a front rack that isn't a lowrider is an excellent idea. I hate lowriders, they're always catching on things and rubbish for light, bulky stuff like tents and sleeping bags.
When funds allow, I want to make a porteur type rack for my touring bike. No-one makes anything like what I want anymore. But the weight must be as low as possible, and the bike needs a very relaxed head tube angle and a fork with lots of rake so the load is stable. Retro bikes only, I'm afraid.
are lowriders the ones that are like panniers for the front ? never liked those , bike must handle like shit with those
ive seen some lovely custom stuff , most uses the canti mounts
if i ever had to carry stuff anywhere more often than a couple times id knock together a long bike or an xtracycle , lets face it all the bolt on stuff looks a bit gash
Yeah, lowriders were invented by Jim Blackburn, and the beginnings of Blackburn. They are the most stable way of carrying two useless, tiny bags that ground out if you ride in a tiny rut. Never got on with mine.
The porteur tradition from France just before the second world war produced some really nice looking bikes and a mad races with porteur bikes fully loaded with newspapers.
This is a page about porteur racing - mad pictures!