CushCore first impressions

Feels slow, but maybe it’s not slow

I have two rides on CushCore. CushCore is a foam insert that mounts inside your tire. It’s supposed to allow lower air pressures while reducing the chance of flat tires.

Ride 1: Supergnar at Left Hand Canyon OHVA. An hour 20 of brutal climbing then a very fast/rocky descent.

Ride 2: Local sweetness on the Betasso Link trail. 20 minutes of easy road climbing then a fun/flowy descent.

Impressions:

Heavy. I feel the weight while climbing, not so much on smooth road but very much on punchy technical sections. That said, I’ve been tired lately, and I’ll bet I get used to the feeling.

Lower tire pressure. The cartilage in my shoulders is destroyed, so I like a smooth roll. For mellow riding I enjoy 21 psi front, 23 rear. For aggressive riding I run closer to 23 and 26. Since CushCore recommends 5 psi less than normal, I tried 18 front and 21 rear.

Smooth. The bike is even smoother than normal, thanks to the low tire pressure. I hit the CushCore on rocks a few times. It makes a nice thud, like Yeah man I’m pinning it.

Quiet. On rocky downhills the bike is less active. There is less ping. Less freneticism. More calm.

Feels slow. I think I’m used to a certain amount of feedback from the bike, and this Enduro with CushCore isn’t giving me that feedback (at least not at the speeds I was riding). It feels less exciting, slow.

But maybe it’s not slow. Yesterday’s descent down Link was very controlled, with a lot of room to go faster. Like, I was waiting for the trail to scroll underneath, and I could have been pedaling. But the satellites said I ran a PR. So maybe it’s not slow.

Chime in on Facebook: