Why did cush core have to be so good?

I installed the ARD in the rear of my hardtail yesterday, I'm not convinced it will do much, but it was easy to install and weighs almost nothing. 

I think it will provide some time protection but not much sidewall/rollover support, which might make it a little useless since it still doesn't really facilitate lower pressures if that's the case, but we'll see. 

At about 1/3 the price and 1/3 the weight and easy install I could see it having its place though. But I kinda think if it's not a pain to install, it ain't doing much.

What’s the difference between Cush Pro and XC? Any other brands to look at?

Thinking of adding an insert to my mullet wheel.

Also how much do these typically run per wheel?

Posted by: Endur-Bro

What’s the difference between Cush Pro and XC? Any other brands to look at?

Thinking of adding an insert to my mullet wheel.

Also how much do these typically run per wheel?

The pro is 100g heavier per wheel than the XC. They both cost $250 a set I believe.

The pro is tighter fitting on the rim and has wider/more substantial wings on it. The result is way more sidewall support. The XC gives some damping but doesn't really offer much sidewall support. Both protect rims but the Pro will protect wider rims. The XC is best in narrower rims and with smaller tires. I ran it on a Flow rim with a 2.4 tire and the sidewall support was negligible, it might be better on a 25mm rim with 2.2's but I wouldn't count on it. If all you want is rim protection and some nice damping, the XC's are good. If you want the sidewall support for out of this world cornering, the PRO is for you. You can ride out on a Pro if you want, I wouldn't try it on the XC.

^ Thanks. I’ll get Pro for 275 rear wheel. Unsure about 29er still

How many people are installing CC primarily to protect their rims ? I just got another ding in a rear rim I recently replaced and am thinking about hedging my bets  - traction improvement isn't my primary requirement but I wouldn't kick it out of bed for farting as my Dad says.

OR should I save the money from not installing CC and put it towards the next rim and relacing costs? Or a truing stand ? Or learn to ride over square edge rock sections better ?

And a final question...how true to experience is this install video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJypZgcCcEM

Posted by: DanL

Or learn to ride over square edge rock sections better ?

I've ridden with folks that killed rims with Cushcore installed while most of the rest of us did fine on the same trails at the same sort of speeds without inserts...so regardless of whether you get CC or not I would work on riding lighter/finese if you feel like that's something you could improve on.

Too true, Vik, thanks for the insight. Instead of the CC insert I'll go to Ozmosis or Endless.

Posted by: Vikb

Posted by: DanL

Or learn to ride over square edge rock sections better ?

I've ridden with folks that killed rims with Cushcore installed while most of the rest of us did fine on the same trails at the same sort of speeds without inserts...so regardless of whether you get CC or not I would work on riding lighter/finese if you feel like that's something you could improve on.

Line choice, and learn to float.

Finally got my CC Pro installed. What a pain. But at least now I have the technique figured out so when I have to do It again when my rear tire dies in the month or two it won't be so hard.

So far it feels really good. I seem to be able to get away with a few less psi and my tires feel dense and grippy. Kind of like when you put DH tires on but better. It's nice to not have to sacrifice ride quality for support, which is the typical tradeoff a heavier rider has to make. Even DH tires for me need more air than is ideal to maintain structure. Now it seems like I can finally have support and traction at the same time.

Definitely rides well but I notice the weight - not in the wheels specifically but now it just takes more energy to keep things moving. I'll get used to that within a couple of rides I figure.

My speculation is that I'll like the ride but will overall feel it's overkill and await a more moderate solution. I can't use the XC version because I'm running 2.5/2.6 on 35mm internal rims.

Is it super important to use the Cush Core valves or will regular 44mm valves be okay?

I would recommend the cc valves but I’ve read some folks have cut the Chanel on regular tubeless valves with success.

Wow. So after a couple of weeks off due to injury I got out yesterday finally. Now the extra weight of CC isn't noticeable. Just the sweet goodness. I ran 22psi (which Is really low for me) and it was totally fine - I could easily drop a couple more and still not get any tire squirm. At 22 I got plenty of support but still tons of traction. Love it.

I cut grooves in a couple of regular valves and they worked just fine. But if you buy a set of Cushcore valves are included.

I thought about starting a new thread, but meh - I'll just tack on to this one. I have been running CC pro in my last bike for about a year, and was really happy with them. The weight sucks, but the rim protection and sidewall support was worth it - and it also allowed me to run a lighter casing tire.

For my new bike build, I decided to give the Tannus Armour Tubeless a try. I heard good things from friends, even though I had my doubts looking at the inserts themselves. It doesn't seem like they would provide nearly the same support and protection as the CC. After my first few rides, I am super impressed with the Tannus. I don't know how it's possible, but these things feel as supportive as CC pro. They're a lot lighter and cheaper than CC, so I think the CC folks have to be a bit worried. I may be totally wrong here, and Tannus doesn't really let on about how their inserts work, but I almost suspect there might be some clever interaction going on between the inner and outer air volumes that are formed with a Tannus insert installed.