Bicycle rack for '04 Prius

This webpage shows what a 3-bike strap-on rack looks like on a HSD Prius up close.

Here's a preview...

 

There is a also the receiver hitch approach from Coastal and others. It is much more expensive, but is less likely to bend a panel on the hatch.

 

G'day
I have a 04 and my wife and I just returned from a twelve state, month trip in the US west and mid-west. We rode on about a dozen mountain bike trails. We took off front wheels of both bikes and placed inside. I used the rear storage area bolt to lock our bikes at night. We had no problems taking the bikes in and out dozens of times either in dusty desert conditions or in rain. We have a golden retriever and felt we could easily travel with the dog also with this arrngement. I will try to attach a picture I took showing both bikes in back, with our luggage for a month and we could complely see out the back via the inside middle rear view mirror.
We had fewer scratches and marks on the inside on the trip than when we use the car normally for shopping around town. We had only slightly lower mpg, due to the extra weight.
We are planning to use the same arrangement next summer on another long drive to different bicycle trails.
Our method probably would not suit most users and certainly not if more than two people will be in the car but it works fantastic for us.
Bill G in Boulder, Colorado
:blink:

 

Thule makes a roof rack fit kit for the Prius (I got mine from rackattack.com, and they helped me over the phone with a question on how to mount it). Works fine, and once you've set it up it takes 3 minutes to pop on and off. I've used it with both a bike tray and a ski box, and am happy.

 

Wow..thanks for the pic of Prius with two bikes+other stuff in the back. Once my 06 is delivered I know I won't want to affect the Cd=0.26 by hanging a bike on the back.

 

Is the dog under there?

 

Yakima now makes a roof top rack for Prius. The rack is fully flexible, you just add the bicycle carrier of your choice. Available through REI (www.rei.org) and other sources.

 

Really? i checked out REI and Yakima's mounting guide using 2005 Prius as a template and all I got was 3 towing stuff.. No roof rack.

Is this the rack you are talking about? http://www.rackwarehouse.com/y0124c.html

Thanks.

I'm looking for a rack system for my upcoming Prius. Thule and Yakima seem to be the popular ones. What's the major difference between those two brands beside one use square loadbar and the other one uses round? A lot of people in this forum seem to buy Thules (and cheaper too) after some search on PC. Will accessories from Thule compatible with Yakima or vice versa?

appreciate for any info.

 

I also don't see this on the Yakima web site. Are you sure, skruse?

I had a Yakima rack on my previous car, and a bike rack and ski box to fit. When I put a Thule rack on my Prius, I had to get a cheap part from Yakima (universal snap-around; part 673999; $8 for set of four from rei.com) to make my Yakima bike rack work with Thule bars.

I just returned from a work trip, but wife and kids went from New York to Vermont and back. They probably went at 70 mph with a ski box on the roof and heat on toasty; it looks like they averaged 41 mpg. So, down from the normal, but a lot better than the Yukons, Hummers, etc. on the road.

 

Yes, Yakima really does have a fit for the 2G Prius. I have one on my '05. The required part is the Q124 clip (part # 0724). REI didn't have it, and it wasn't in their product database, but Rack Attack had it in stock. Pretty much any Yakima dealer should be able to order it. I already had a Yakima setup, so it was the logical choice, but the Rack Attack folks also thought the Yakima fit for Prius was better than Thule (and they sell both brands). I have no personal experience to validate their claim, but my Yakima setup works great!

Yakima vs. Thule is somewhat of a religious war. Both are quality brands with a wide range of fit. Yakima being based on round bars does make sense to me. However, for any one accessory, Thule may have a better solution where another accessory may be the opposite. A number of years ago I was solidly in the Yakima camp feeling their design, innovation and use of materials was ahead of the pack. The past 5 or 6 years I've become somewhat less of a fan. Overall they are still very good, but I've seen (and experienced) some fairly lame designs. In a couple of instances they have also stolen superior design concepts from others (e.g. the "hookup" bike carrier is a clear ripoff of the Sportworks Transport (now sold by Thule)) rather than being the one to innovate.