Prius Photo Album - Hitch Bike Carrier, Racks, Cargo Boxes, ...

[gordonr]

Some folks have been looking for pictures of a Prius with a rack and other stuff on top. Just got back from vacation. When the car was loaded up, I snapped several pictures...

How does a Thule cargo box interfere with the antenna and hatch?
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1upusa Hitch mount bike carrier in folded up position. Hatch opens without interference.
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Same from rear vantage point.
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Rack folded down. Bikes loaded. Hatch still opens and with a slight push clears the bike handlebars.
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Rear view when loaded.
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Yakima load bars, Thule Evolution cargo box and Yakima King Cobra bike carrier on left.
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Sportworks Bob Ratchet bike carrier on right. Sportworks no longer makes consumer products; they sold their product line to Thule several years ago. Thule now makes a similar bike carrier called the "Sidearm" which is a direct adaptation of the Bob Ratchet.
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Everything ready to go.
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The load as shown gave about 40 mpg on the MFD with 45 miles on country roads at 35 to 45 mph with some stop and go and 60 miles on the highway at 60 mph.

[wan]

Very nice pictures!

[Jack Straw]

xxx

[gordonr]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Straw @ Sep 3 2006, 03:14 PM) [snapback]313550[/snapback]</div>

How do you like the 1upusa rack? I've gotten out of cycling the past couple of years but would like to start up again and have been toying with the idea of putting on a hitch and getting that rack.
[/b]

I very much like the 1upusa rack. A bit pricey, but figured it was the last rack I'd ever own. I've always sensed it was very easy to fit on the car and load so several weeks ago I timed myself putting the rack on the car, and one bike on the rack. From everything being in the garage to everything on the car it took just under two minutes. I was considering getting the add-on 3rd and 4th units, so ended up talking to the company recently. They sold out of everything this year and don't expect stock again for a while (maybe next spring).

The good stuff:

* Relatively light for this style (~35 lbs)

* Love the feature where it self stops at the correct depth when pushing it into the receiver. Fastens tightly to the hitch with a special tool - no wobble. Given it's a custom tool, it provides good security against the rack being stolen.

* When it's flipped up it is out of the way enough that getting into the trunk is very easy.

* Holds the bikes well. I've read some user reviews where people complain that the bikes seem unstable on the rack. It is true they giggle a bit, but it's not a problem. Our bikes weight about 25 lbs. It may be a different matter if you were trying to carry a 50 lb downhill mt. bike.

* Very high quality manufactur, fit and finish. It's all CNC machined aluminum.

* Bikes ramp higher off the ground as more are stacked on. This maintains good ground clearance when starting up a hill (like a steep driveway) whether your carrying 1 bike or 4. The ramping also helps keep the bikes from interfering with each other when loading.

* Bikes held by the wheels; nothing touches the paint finish. Multiple bikes don't bang into each other.

What bothers me:

* The threaded screws you turn to tighten the hold-down arms are literally counter intuitive. You turn them clockwise to loosen and counter-clockwise to tighten. I asked them about that and they said they couldn't find threaded rod made in stainless steel with a left handed thread. You learn to live with it, but would be better if it was the opposite.

* The bikes are positioned pretty close together (which is good), but this makes it so you need to play with the group of bikes your looking to carry and figure out what works best it terms of order and direction of placement. I have several bikes, and it all works out after playing around a bit.

* The design doesn't work if you have a bike with full fenders like a traditional touring or randonneuring bike. The arm over the rear can't be placed high enough over the rear wheel. Maybe if you strapped the rear wheel down, and placed the arm on the tire just below the rear fender you could make it work. Haven't tried it. The other alternative is to scrap the full fenders and go with SKS Raceblade fenders.

* If you have bikes of significantly different basic dimensions (i.e. a full sized adult bike vs. a 20" kids bike) you have to move the cross piece that grips the tire on the hold-down arms to a different position. It's easy enough to do, but if your always changing the mix of bikes you carry, this will get old real fast.

It's not perfect, but overall I like the rack a great deal and if you can get beyond the upfront cost (~$450), it is worth considering.

[john1701a]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gordonr @ Sep 3 2006, 09:17 PM) [snapback]313755[/snapback]</div>

but figured it was the last rack I'd ever own[/b]

I thought that too. But after 10 years of hauling heavy loads, the bounce from the road eventually changes the fit. The metal is beat to a smaller size, making it loose... which leads to annoying bike sway. The metal bends over time too, causing the load to hang a little lower.

Of course, it was well worth it anyway.

[gordonr]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Sep 3 2006, 10:45 PM) [snapback]313775[/snapback]</div>

I thought that too. But after 10 years of hauling heavy loads, the bounce from the road eventually changes the fit. The metal is beat to a smaller size, making it loose... which leads to annoying bike sway. The metal bends over time too, causing the load to hang a little lower.

Of course, it was well worth it anyway.
[/b]

1upusa say they warranty their rack for life. They seem like honorable people when you talk to them on the phone. Why not get them to fix it back up?

[Tadashi]

wow very nice. I hope to have my setup as nicely soon.

[mootsman]

Interesting....We plan on doing most of our bike hauling with the Element but would like to have an option for our Prius. I used a 1UP trainer for years and it is a fine piece of equipment. My concern is whether or not the hatch would open with two mountain bikes on the rack. Also carrying two high zoot ti bikes gives me concern about some idiot hitting us from the rear. Regardless, glad you posted and I plan on looking at that unit.

Edited: Update - They no longer offer a hitch rack...to bad.

[gordonr]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mootsman @ Sep 4 2006, 08:45 AM) [snapback]313916[/snapback]</div>

Edited: Update - They no longer offer a hitch rack...to bad.
[/b]

I also found it weird that they removed the hitch info from their website. Give them a call, but I believe what has happened is they have sold out of the rack product for 2006 and removed reference to it from their website until next year. They must use some contract CNC machine shop to build the parts, and didn't want to invest in new inventory until next year. A google search brings up

http://www.1upusa.com/1upusarackhome.htm

which shows the spring 2007 availability date.

[Jack Straw]

xxx