Portage

We've installed our rear luggage rack of choice, pretty much the only rear rack on the market made for suspension bikes, the Axiom Odyssee. The flat black is acceptable, but I could also make it look like wrought iron.

Previously we had a long horizontal tube extended from behind the seat to over the rear wheel. The original intent was for a pillion seat to be mounted there but we've since abandoned the idea (a second time). The tube is shortened now to make room for the rear rack, and has about an inch of space between it and the rack. Being a suspended rear triangle, it needs room to flex. Nonetheless we could probably put together a moving connection of some sort between the rack and the tube. We could also just chop it completely off as it has become superfluous.

So what I'd like opinions on is do we keep the now shortened tube? Is it aesthetically better with or without it? The pillion seat we decided couldn't be made safe without redesigning the frame, and it just didn't look right hanging over both sides of the single bar. Now that the pillion seat is out and anything I should need to transport will be on the rear rack itself, might the tube be re-purposed?

Maybe I could put a helmet hook there, or a giant deathray mounted above my head, aimed where I look. Jacob's ladder perhaps? The FCC would love that.

Opinions welcome.