Ummm, your analysis of air volume at 11:00 is wrong. Road bikes don’t need higher pressures because of lower air volume, but because the contact patch is tiny. Think of it this way: the contact patch has to hold up your body weight(lets just say 200lbs to keep the math simple). a roads bike might have a contact patch less than 1 square inch. Therefore, if you don’t want the tire to sag, the PSI within the tire needs to be greater than the downward force on the contact patch. So if a road bike has a contact patch of 1 square inch, it will require 200 psi to hold your body weight without deflecting. On the other side of the spectrum, a plus tire might have a 10 inch contact patch, which means it would only require 20 psi to hold your body weight without deflecting. CushCore, by reducing the volume but not the pressure, is taking up damping space within the tire. So, when you hit a rock with that tire, the pressure within the tire spikes more quickly than in a tire without CushCore because the loss of volume from impacts represents a greater percentage of the whole, causing pressure to increase because the displaced air has less room to move. It’s exactly the same a volume spacers in your fork. The opposite of what you state in your video. This is part of why people run lower pressure with CushCore. You get a cushy grippy ride, but when your tire takes a big hit, the pressure ramps up quickly in response. In other words, think of two tires, one with Cush, the other without. For easy math, lets say CushCore is passively taking up 50% of the volume of the first tire. Both tires start with the same air pressure, but the second might contain 100 cubic “units” of air, while the first only requires 50 units to maintain that same air pressure, since half the volume is taken by the CushCore. Then, both tires encounter a pointy rock that takes up 10 units of air by deflecting the tires almost all the way to the rim. This event will increase the pressure in both tires, but because 10 units of displacement is a whopping 20% of the first tire’s volume, but only 10% of the second’s, the pressure in the CushCored tire will be higher, sooner than in the tire without. This means the tire will be more stable and will protect the rim better, even without the foam, but simply as a matter of pressure and volume. Even if foam didn’t protect the rim, the reduction in volume would.

This is the most detailed explanation of CushCore I have seen! It is pricey though, and the damage sustained in your test riding makes me wonder how often you would need to replace it. I did buy the cheaper Nukeproof ARD but my tyres are such a tight fit on my Bonty carbon rims that I wasn't even able to fit them.

Note: their valves are an important piece of the set. As using the wrong ones might put air and sealant between the rim and the foam. And in time (2 months in my case) the roam will stretch to the point it rattles inside the tyre. I bought my wheels preinstalled with cush cores and they had some fancy mucoff valves. That did not work. Also the foam might block off the valve making it impossible to adjust tyre pressure. Either get the correct valves or take an 8mm-or-so drill and make a hole where the valve would sit. The benefit of doing that is the ability to top off the sealant via the valve. Also avoiding the whole stretching the foam thing. Also if you think: if it expands I'll just cut it down to size and re-glue... none of the glues I tried stick. They either dont stick or just rip chunks out. Either get the correct type of valve or make a hole.

Ran CushCore for two years. Yes, its absolutely wonderful....if all you do is gravity riding. If you do XC or anything that relies on you pedaling up as much as you descend, you WILL notice the weight penalty. I'm now on Huck Norris simply for rim protection. CushCore simply was too much of a weight penalty for my riding, you may think a few hundred grams is not much, but rotational mass is rotational mass.

Well that's an absolutely brilliant review, totally agree with all the things you said. Also pretty impressive to see the result of a used insert. Thanks for this video, cheers !

Spot on review, Taylor. Been running CushCore F/R for 2 months. Before my first pedalstroke, I was worried, "Is this just a gimmick?" And then... All these wows sprouted in my head as I bombed the trail. Honestly, I just wanted extra flat protection on long epics. Didn't expect the - Minimized trail chatter - Awesome damping - Confidence-inspiring cornering - Deadening of hard hits Sold. Worth every penny IMHO.

Thank you for the air volume/pressure explanation! I've been struggling to understand this for a few months, and think I have been dramatically under what I need. Thank You!

As someone who is mostly doing non-assisted Enduro tours and a few bikepark days a year, I installed the CushCore XC (~100g lighter) in the back. Since I do a lot of climbing, it would have been overkill to go for the full protection. I have reduced the tire pressure by 0.3bar since and have less noticeable impacts on the rim, as well as a more supple feel in the rear. The weight is noticeable, but definetly worth the cost for me. I think the XC version is the way to go for most riders.

I've ridden off road for 25 years in BC Canada, I've been a bike mechanic for over 20 years. I hate installing these things with a passion and I've straight armed all the customers praises of these things. But...being a bigger guy (230ish) I've always wondered. Listening to you here, now, made me want to go and order some immediately.

Wow. The most thorough and helpful review of ANY format of Cush Core I've seen. Thanks!

I run them front and rear. Love the product

Fantastic review, in addition to the installation video. Just had my first ride after an easy installation and your description is exactly what I found as well. Keep up the good work . Thank you so much!

You think like I do. Thank you for making this excellent video. I just bought my first EMTB and the salesman offered to install CushCore on my rims. After watching this video, I realized this upgrade will help me get introduced to the sport with more confidence. If my tires slip (and I crash badly) when I am trying to get a feel for the bike, I will lose way more confidence (than an experienced rider otherwise would), resist going faster, and push my limits less than the bike reasonably allows without CushCore.

This was really helpful! I wish all reviews were like this.

Just installed on the back of my Roscoe 8 with a 3.0 tire. LOVE IT. It actually does all it claims. Primarily, it just lets you go down to the softest feel you are comfortable with, with no concerns. That’s the real advantage.

Best review on CushCore that I’ve seen. I ordered some to go on my new Fezzari Wasatch Peak build. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend the extra $$$, but now I’m glad that I did, especially with a hardtail. 👍🏻

OK I've been thinking about these for a while, and I'm going to get some. Already have installation sorted: Get the shop to do it. I'm spending NZ$300 on some foam. Plus new sealant $50. I'm sure the guys there have done it enough that parts covers labour.

Food for thought..., I know non pro local fast/good riders who broke thier carbon & aluminum rims WITH Cushcore! Cushcore IMHO, is good for ski lift access parks! So you're telling me that we ditch the tubes to have lighter / easier rolling resistance, and then I add that foam to gain that weight back? Don't get me wrong,.. I rode Cushcore on carbon SC reserve rims, at Snowshoe WV, and it was from a different planet! But..., Why going through the hassle, if a DD tire or a DH casing tire with ( proper air pressure) should do the job? IMHO, Cushcore isn't worth it for someone like me! Great video 🤘🤘

Great review! Any reviews coming on the CC XC's?

Thanks, just one man's explanation of the tech; but a decent presentation and useful none the less.

I’ve had cushcord for about a year now and actually 2 months ago I split my rear rim with cushcore installed. I still have cushcore but it’s not gonna make your rims invincible

Outstanding review! Ordering now. Thank you

I appreciate you acknowledging the fact that not everyone can just drop $150 on a bike upgrade! With that being said, this will definitely protect your bike in the long run!

How do they compare with Vittoria tyre liners?

What style riding do you do? I rode both of these inserts and I always go back to rimpact and I live in the US. Cushcore for me you can really feel the rotational weight. Now the biggest issue I feel with cushcore is how it pushes your sidewalls out which means going through rock gardens you have a better chance of sidewall punctures due to the cushcore pushing it out it doesn’t give the sidewalls a chance to move.

Really good, clear, informative video explaining this amazing tech -- however - your standard running tubeless PSI seems quite high - so I assume you are not running real enduro- 2-ply tires like the Vittoria MAZZA Enduro 2.6's; past 12 months -- which myself at 170 ish Ibs rider kitted I run Mullet 29/2.4 on a 30in rim at 21 psi and rear 27.5/2.6 on a 40in rim at 22-23 psi --- even 21 sometimes -- WITHOUT cushcore and not picking the best line though Black diamond Arizona trail rock gardens and drops and mistakes; I have yet to damage any rim --- HOWEVER with Maxxis so -called DD tires I have damaged 2 different tires (over-priced/overhyped/underperforming IMHO) ? I totally agree with you -0 I would probably maintain PSI or drop 1-2 psi at most... Thank you so much! PS: I upgraded shock to DVO past january and recently to GRIP2 Fox 36/160 last week WOW --- and I have even more heightened CONFIDENCE and PLUSHNESS plowing and floating even faster down the trails -- woohoo. Cushcore ? Perhaps would help cornering with a little less PSI and protection...? Who knows.

Really good honest review. Will definitely consider using them.

Yup, great review, literally pressed checkout after watching this. Thanks

Great video. Now the 64,000 dollar question: Why are we still riding on rubber instead of Kevlar tires? Flats would be a ting of the past.

No pr nonsense just real bike talk, great man!

Please tell me where your video is for the installation? I have searched your channel and can't find it anywhere?

I have just added some , only dropped my tyre air pressure a little bit , on the front my initial feeling was , air pressure in the fork was a little low on descents , definitely created some extra softness there , maybe I need to add a couple of psi to the fork to create a feeling of a bit more support to go with the extra suppleness

Awesome video doods Thanks for the honest review

Great review my dude..keep up the good work

I like the ones that work with a tube so there’s no mess it’s great for protection!

Let's be real about the weight. Comparing cushcore to an inner tube is not 1:1. Here's why. When you use an inner tube you no longer need to pour 3-4oz of tire sealant. Cushcore weighs more than an inner tube and if you know what's good for you, you'll need to add 3-4 oz of sealant. That's a big difference and that weight is rotational weight. Cushcore is great for DH or Enduro style trails where it's more focused on going down than it is up. Cushcore's biggest flaw in my opinion isn't the weight. It's how extremely hard and difficult it is to install and remove. Even with their mini tool that helps installing.

Very well set up, informative review

Super thoughtful review, thanks

Curious about cush but my idea is run 3 to 5 pounds extra air. I know that's not the point but its kept me out of alot of trouble most of the time.

They should come stock with new enduro and DH bike.

Looked through your vids but can't find the install vid

Should cost $50 for a set, but what can you do? Got to pay the man to play.

Good day. My rims are the sunringle duroc sd37 (32mm inner width), i have a 2.5 assegai front and 2.4 dhf in the rear. My local bikeshop only has the CushCore Plus. It says for rims of 32mm to 45mm. Will it work on my setup? or is it just too big?

If I get a flat on the trail, can I ride back on that flat? Will the Cush Core enable me to do that?

You guys think it’ll work with the stans dart? would it have enough room to get deep enough into the tire

Got em!!....love em!!🤘

They works like beadlock with the air pushing on it when it hits someting.

Awesome, thorough review 👍👍

Weight weenies, love it..

But wherrrrre's the installation video duuuude?!

Being a weight weenie is fun until you have to hike out of a trail with a trashed tire/rim. Cushcore is a must or states like CA/CO/AZ.

Nice info but PSI has nothing to do with tire volume. It is lbs/sq in not lbs/cu in. Air pressure only has to do with surface area not volume...the surface area of the tire is what affects the ride quality. Road tires have much smaller width or contact patch and that is where PSI affects ride quality. The smaller the contact patch the higher the PSI or pressure needs to be to support a given weight across that contact patch area.

Some big claims made there dood. Looking forward to trying these out, cheers

Thanks for the great video. You never touched on performance.

How long does cushcore last? How fast does it degrade?

Does the loam ranger and the loam wolf have any relation ship ??

Grinch references = subbed

4:57 he's holding a....... cuchcore he's holding a cushcore

Dude at a bike shop told me that these snap rims?

Good review but no much detail on how it effects the pedalling efficiency on a normal mtb ride Just used them for the first time on an uplift at a bike park and they were good but I could feel lose in acceleration and could feel the extra weight on flat sections , yet to take them out on a normal ride , I think I’ll have to reduce the size and tred pattern of my rear tyre

Close your eyes and listen. He sounds like will ferrel haha well other than that thanks for the video!!

Super-Stoked

Infomercial

well worth it

If someone will install it for me and I won't have to climb hills with it , then sure, why not!

I seem to destroy my rims the fastest with cushcore. I dont believe you can run 5psi lower without suffsuffering the consequences. 28 psi in the rear on a proper dh track is gonna dent your rims no matter what kind of foam is protecting it. Plus, they go bad pretty easy. They stretch out fast, get ripped up while riding, and I think they are pretty much good for half a season. Not worth 150 dollars. They do improve the ride tho

250 grams unsprung weight =10tonns

it's heavy as sh1t, it's expensive af, it claims to improve every single characteristic of your bike, add 12% or how many was it of perceived suspension travel or boost rolling speed. and it still has limited lifespan, as I saw people opening up tires after some time of cushcore use. I am exactly the type of a guy who would throw this on his bike in an eyeblink, but there's really way too many negatives (I do not race, nor do I lie to myself about my abilities and potential, so those two crowds won't agree with me). At the end, if I really wanted to spare my carbon wheelset (which I bought to be >light< and fast in the first place), I would buy another set of 2nd hand or custom made wheels. I rode such wheelset previously, custom made with 200euro price tag (close to cushcore price) seemed to not be bothered about anything in the bike parks. Especially since weight is not an issue (you just installed half a kilo of foam), getting a wheelset built that is tough as nails and cheap, with weight penalty, is not that complicated and it will last for years to come.

Dampening!!?? I don't want that. 😆 Damping*

MORE Weight ... PASS

Good job on the video...Haven't had a pinch flat in 30 years of riding and racing. I think pinch flats are a result of not knowing how to ride....so is there really any reason to spend money on something like this if you know how to ride? Absolute JOKE paying that much for some damn foam. Put the money into ENVE rims and you won't blow out rims.

Lol I run 18 without any cush core

All i'm hearing is go back to running Tubes.

Stopped watching when I saw the moped

No it's not! Already saw couple smashed carbon rims because of this overpriced pool noodle failed it's sole purpose... Not mentioning all the slashed tires I've seen . And the rolling resistance is absolute BS. Just inflate your tires to a proper pressure...And no, I don't ride a cheap 10 year old bike, quite the opposite...

Watching this video just made me to realize how sick I am from what the MTB industry have become... Pretty much on par with road biking where all the pretentious morons are chasing after the newest fad and praising it's placebo effect.