I thought a hitch-type bike rack is a no-no (while roof and trunk mounted are ok), given the very low ground clearance? I'm not up to that part in manual.
Well I am not into drilling holes into my Prius roof for a roof mount rack, nor do I trust myself not to hit the ceiling of my garage using one. Trunk mounted racks eventually will wear paint and most bike hanging type racks don't allows keep the bikes secure. Many people here use a curt hitch and love them. I am leaning that way. Now it is just a matter of which Thule hitch type, bike rack I want.
OK. Isn't drilling involved in a hitch too (though not in roof)? What is the max. number of bikes a hitch-type bike rack can hold for the Prius?
No drilling needed for a Curt hitch, it bolts right in, replacing the rear tie down hooks. Only minor cutting of an under body plastic cover. It is a class I hitch. I plan on using a 2 bike Thule T2 or 990 rack.
Thanks but I already knew that. I'm just trying to decide whether I should get the Thule T2 or the Thule 990 bike rack.
Any worries on the low clearance of the hitch and Prius? I hope you get constructive feedback on your original question/decision!!
Everything I have read about the clearance is, that it is not an issue. I have already decided on the Curt hitch. But again the hitch is not why I started this thread, this is about the bike rack.
After I got my Curt hitch installed, I considered getting one of those Thule or Yakima racks. What stopped me was that they look very heavily-built. I didn't want to put more weight on the Curt hitch more than is necessary, so I stuck with my old 15-pound el-cheapo $100 hanging bike rack from Sports Authority (which has held up surprisingly well over the past year I've used it on my Prius). Anyone know how much those Thule rack weigh? I just might go for one if they weigh the same or less than my el-cheapo Sports Authority special.
Actually the weight is not problem from the reviews I have seen and the Curt can more than handle the Thule bike racks.
A 2-inch hitch would be best for 3 or more bikes, but I guess the 2-inch is not compatible with Prius. (Again slightly rack off-topic but at least thread is back on top).
Actually they do make a 2 inch hitch for the Prius but again.....this thread is about the bike rack not the hitch. I am looking for a 2 bike rack, either the Thule T2 or Thule 990.
I tried a Thule rack but it swayed way too much, so I took it back. Decided not to use a hitch-mounted rack. The issue wasn't the rack, it was the flex in the metal to which the hitch was attached. There is a thread somewhere on this board for a custom modification to a standard hitch that solves that problem by installing a longer effort arm on the hitch where it attaches to the car. Guess that isn't too helpful. All I want to say is that my hitch was not stable enough, in my opinion, to allow me to use a hitch-mounted rack. Others have had better luck with that, I think. And at least one guy modified the hitch to make it more stable.
I installed a Curt hitch on my Prius...top quality. I already had a Thule 961 hitch bike carrier (2 inch). I acquired a 1.25 to 2 inch adapter from U-Haul (about $25.00)-all bolt on...no problems with clearance (have also a sloped driveway). Anticipate a drop in MPG with the bike rack(from 51 MPG to 42 MPG on last Utah trip). I had other racks in the past as metioned in this post...best way to carry MTB's is with this setup(don't forget theft locks for the system)
Those racks are very heavy, so I went with the Saris Thelma 2. Very light and very easy to use. The bikes stand on their own while securing them, and the inner position is not obstructed by a support bar. You can pick up the whole thing with one arm. Folded, unfolded, loaded... The back of the car doesn't even sag.
i've got a Thule rack, I forget which model, but the hole to lock the rack to the hitch seemed to place the rack way too far off the back of the car and really mess with its balance, so I had a machine shop drill a hole further back on the thule post so that it could be further inserted into the hitch.
With the Thule T2, bikes stand on their own while securing them and there is no inner support bar. So I am thinking you have not seen a Thule T2.
I have the T2. It's a great rack. I've used mine for about 6 months and have not had any trouble with it or the Coastal hitch. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.
