Recommended Trailer Hitch and Platform Bike Rack for 2016 Toyota Prius

Question:

Hello! I need information about the best way to safely transport my bike. I have a 2016 Toyota Prius and a Cannondale womens quick 1 disc bike. I would like a very sturdy, easy to use, tilt/swing away from the car, platform bike carrier, dont want to remove any wheels. I currently do not have a hitch installed on my Prius. What do you recommend? What parts/bike platform/hitch would I need to purchase? What types of place do this kind of installation? Thank you so much for any information/guidance!

asked by: Andi

Expert Reply:

Happy to help and let's start with a trailer hitch for your 2016 Toyota Prius; the best option for that is going to be the Draw-Tite # 24966 which is a Class I hitch with a 1-1/4" receiver. This is a bolt-on installation with no drilling into your Prius' frame required so any local mechanic should be able to install the hitch without trouble. Additionally, the distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the edge of your bumper is going to be about 3" with the hitch installed, giving you a lot of options for a bike rack.

Although there are no swing-away bike racks available for a Class I hitch there are racks which will tilt down for better access to your rear cargo as well as fold up for when you are not using the rack.

The best bike rack for you is going to be the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 which is available in three different colors: Black # SH12B, Gray # SH12G, and Pearl # SH12P.

The Sherpa 2.0 has a number of what I like to call "quality-of-life" features that make it easy to use; it weighs only 32 lbs and can be tilted down or folded up with the press of a handy foot lever. The rack does not require any tools to install into your hitch as you'll only need to turn a knob to tighten the rack inside the hitch; this also works as an anti-rattle device so you can get a quiet ride.

Additionally, the Sherpa 2.0 comes with a hitch lock to secure the rack to your Prius and a cable lock to secure your Cannondale bike to the rack and help protect your investments. This is a wheel-mount rack which uses ratcheting hooks to grasp your bikes by the front wheels so there is no frame contact and also has rear-wheel cradles with ratcheting straps to secure your bike's rear wheels.