CushCore Pro Tire Inserts [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

CushCore Tire Inserts have become a necessity for riders of all skill levels. As the level of riding and the capabilities of bikes have skyrocketed over the years. The integrity of tires and rims are being tested. Rock strikes often leave rides with dented rims and pinch flats. That was until tire insert took over. Now riders can comfortably take the worst line possible without the consequence of buying a new wheel or tire every ride. Our buddy Mariusz recently bought some inserts, let see what he thought:

Mariusz's Review

1. What is Cush Core?

This question was answered only about a million times on the internet, but for me, it's a tire suspension system first, and rim protection second. It is made out of surprisingly dense foam, and maybe that's what makes it work so well...

2. Why did I get it?

I was considering CushCore for months... But yes, it's pretty expensive, it's extra weight, and do I really need it? And all of the possible reasons not to spend money were popping in my head.

Then I went to the bike park with friends. I got the pinch puncture. Friend ripped his tire off the rim on a less than perfect landing on a fairly small jump. He got the CC first. Based on his feedback, not more than a month later I got it for my enduro bike as well. I love the feel and peace of mind so much that 1.5 months later I got it for my trail bike too. Since then, 3 more of our mutual friends got CC for their bikes based on our positive feedback :)

3. Installation

We all heard the horror stories about it being impossible to install...I went for it prepared for the worse... But I took my time. I didn't even use soapy water. I used tire levers to help pop the bead over the rim at the end. But I'd say the first 75% of the circumference can be installed by hand. It gets tricky after that.

If you think you can't get any more slack, go around the rim with the tire lever, and push that bead towards the center of the rim (the well). I will free up just a little more! There are probably some tire/rim combos that are harder to install, But my e13 enduro rims with Assegai EXO+ and DHR2 were pretty easy

4. What do I like about it?

Usually, I run 25/22 PSI in my tires. With CC I go down to 20/17. (For bike parks I bump it up a little to 22/19). Lower pressure itself helps the positive feel. The ride is a little more calm, like all of a sudden I have more suspension, and it is more plush. I feel like riding over the roots or square bumps, the tire hugs them and smooths them out much better before the suspension even has to react.

I would compare riding without and with CushCore, to riding air shock and then switching to coil.

With lower pressure, the tires are still more stable, because CushCore helps to keep them from deforming in the turns. So fast riding is more controlled and predictable

• Grip: less psi = more grip. It's that simple.

• Rolling resistance and pedaling: this one is really interesting. I swear after installing CushCore, tires roll better. Despite lower PSI, it feels like the bike just goes smoothly and doesn't get as much hung up on the bumps. As to pedaling/ rotational mass issues some people bring up.... I don't feel it. Yes, I'm riding a 37 lbs enduro bike with Coil suspension and Fox38. But I got some PR's on some local "pedally" trails

• Peace of mind: flying down the trails (especially in the bike parks), and not worrying about landing drops and jumps into the rocky terrain is worth it. I was able to run lower pressure in the bike park, get more grip, better ride quality, and I'm not worried about rim damage.

5. What I don't like about it:

• Price: It's a bit pricey. Yes. But if you can get over that hump, you'll thank yourself for doing it

• Valve stems: they are actually of great quality. What I don't like about them, is the fact they only come in green when you buy CushCore. They can be purchased in many different colors to match the bike, but that's an extra expense, and I think for as much as CC costs, I should be able to pick the color I want.