Bike Rack - Top or Hitch?

I kind of assumed I'd get a hitch rack for my prius ... but some feedback I'm getting is that it might damage the car (the strain of bikes leveraging out there).

So I'd really like feedback from people who have put a few miles on their 2004/2005 prius with roof or hitch racks. Any downsides? Which really yields better mpg?

Thanks.

 

I've read those, actually. There is a lot of information, but not quite the "long term road test" I'm looking for. I didn't see the "I've had mine six moths and no damage, such and such mpg" etc. kind of posts.

I saw lots of conjecture of what mpg people "expected" to get once they got their racks, or what the racks looked like, installed.

 

Geez, all I'm asking for is something like that 6 month experience. That's why I said that "I didn't see 'I've had mine six months [...]'"

Do you guys have bike racks, or other hitch racks? How many miles do you have on them, and what is your experience?

 

Most of my trips are short-ish, but I'm actually trying to get set up for some more serious road trips with bikes right now. Maybe Southern California <-> Idaho, things like that.

 

Well, no negative answers for either path anyway.

I think I'll go with the hitch route, just becase it will be easier to take on and off with one person and no scratches. I had considered this lightweight but somewhat dangly hitch rack (below) but maybe that is too much to wave around off the Prius chassis:

The Sport Rider is the second rack down on this page:

http://www.hollywoodracks.com/2&3.htm

and I think it is also the same as the Performance XPORT Flatbed 2:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profil...3&subcategory...

Instead, I think I'll go for a simple Yakima (Kingpin) or Thule (Hitching Post) 2 bike rack.

(I'll check back in an hour, before I leave the house ... just in case I get that long-term review)

Thanks.

 

I guess the first repsonses I got have made me cautious. The guy at the hitch shop was cautious about how big a rack, or how many mountain bikes to haul, and how far. He knew enough about mountain bikes to say "not downhill bikes." And then the first mountain bike forum I asked in, the answer was "not on a prius." Now, I know those aren't Prius guys, and you folks are ... which is why I really stopped by hoping to hear from someone with some miles under their belt. My initial hope was that someone would pop up and say "I did a X thousand mile road trip with ..." - that would make the decision very easy.