Any specific recommendations for a bike rack for the Prius (year 2009, P2)? I've used the search feature to learn some, but I wanted to start a refreshed thread. On the one hand, a trunk rack is economical, but is it secure, or will the bikes fall off to the road while driving? Will it scratch the car's paint badly? Any experience with the Saris Guardian 3 per se? Versus Thule Speedway? Vs. the Saris Bones 3? I would like to hold 2 adults bikes & 1 kid bike. The hitch option is more costly, plus do i want to drill holes in new car? What specific rack model will not sway badly on the Prius? What rack have people had and not liked? Will any hold 3 bikes? Thanks in advance.
I have the Saris Bones 2 and I like it. The only minor complaint is that the upper straps rub on the back edge of the spoiler. The workaround is short pieces of foam pipe insulation around the straps where they come across the spoiler. As for the Bones 3, here are pics of it installed on John's Prius.
If it helps any, adding the hitch on the Classic doesn't involve drilling any holes at all - it mounts to four existing M10 tapped holes in the frame, originally used for shipping restraints. I don't know for sure about your 2nd generation, but I assume it might be the same way. That was actually why I went the hitch route - no hole drilling, and no worry about scratching the trunk with a trunk-mount. One interesting bike option that I found was a 3-bike adapter for a cargo carrier. The adapter only adds about $25 to the cost of the carrier, and what I liked was it can also carry other stuff. The carrier I chose has zero rise, though, which means careful going over driveway dips and such. In hindsight I'd probably look for a carrier with a few inches of rise. Others have posted links for those. On the pro side of the carrier I found was weight - because of the aluminium construction it's only about 30 pounds including the bike adapter. Not sure how that compares to the single-purpose bike carriers. All-steel cargo carriers seem to run about 15 pounds heavier (and maybe 40 dollars lighter). -Chap
I can't compare the others, but I have been very happy with my Saris Bones 3. Although not officially recommended for the Prius (by Saris), it works great. You have to spend a bit of time getting it set up the first time you use it, but once it's set up to the right angles, it goes on and off very quickly and easily, and I've never had a more secure bike rack. I had no paint issues during a summer of pretty heavy use this year. If you get it set up right the lower "legs" straddle the license plate and it clears the spoiler with no problem.
