How Tire Inserts Affect Hardtails - NOT WHAT YOU THOUGHT
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ค. 2021
- Cushcore, rimpact, huck norris, tannus, vittoria airliner, just to name a few popular inserts. How do they affect how your hardtail rides? There are some BIG misconceptions around these inserts and what they do and don't do. Today we debunk some of the myths surrounding tire inserts to see if they're for you.
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That shirt is awesome.
I know they’re not for everyone, but being able to run my 2.6” tyres at 15psi with a Vittoria insert has made a huge difference to me. I used to have to move over to my full suss on trails over 1.5 hours, otherwise I suffered back pain. But being able to ride with lower pressures without the constant pinch flats has made a huge improvement for me.
Totally agree. I love running 15-17 psi. The cushcore has been amazing.
I ran Tannus armour tubed inserts on the rear of my bike for about 2 weeks. My first ride I thought they were great because the ride was smoothed out.
But the more I rode on them the more I realized how much they slowed the bike down and it just always felt like I was riding on a flat tire.
Now I’m back to tubeless with no insert and love it. The bike is more responsive and feels lighter.
I had the opposite experience, my Jam2 seems to roll quickly on Tannus but the jury is still out in regard to grip and compliance.
Nice! That contradicted a lot of what I've heard about inserts. I can imagine that the reasons you might use inserts on a full suspension bike could be totally different on a hardtail. I think that's a seriously overlooked topic. I also liked your description of how you ride a hardtail differently from a full suspension bike. Thanks for the tips!
Great video brother, you answer all the questions that I had with tire inserts. Appreciate that.
Great vid.
You explained the volume loss (and resulting ramp up) when installing an insert very well.
Up here in Quebec Canada we have a lot of sharp rocks that love to pinch flat tires and basically destroy rims. I haven’t tried cushcore but I will never set up my hard tail without a vittoria airliner. The first year without a it i flatted eight times. Since I’ve put the airliner in I haven’t flatted one time and that’s running between 23 a25 psi as opposed to the 28psi I had to run without it when I was flatting all the time. Personally I also like the ride feel better as well. Definitely doesn’t make the bike more supple but does remove a bit of the sting. Give the vittoria airliner a try. It has been a game changer for and truly offers amazing flat protection for a hardtail. Only using it in the back by the way.
Wholeheartedly agree!!! I run Vittoria Airliners front on rear on my hardtail on the East Coast and would never ride without them. The ability to run flat when you don’t have any other option is a bonus too!
Some ideas for future vids: Fork reviews for HTs (specifically, which forks ride high, no diving!), rim reviews (which rims spread the impact of a pinch best w/ a flat hook or wtvr?), insert reviews (which work best w/ HTs to control/mute impacts and prevent burping/squirm--but don't make the tire too bouncy by the reduced air volume?)
Well there you go, you have blown away many misconceptions that I had about tire inserts. Thanks
What you said about Cushcore making a narrow rim feel better with larger tires was dead on. When I first tried them my Enve’s were super narrow and with a 2.5 or 6 they were super balloony. The Cushcore was a game changer. Personally I really like the sidewall stiffness as a big guy but can say if you are running a wide rim it’s not as noticeable.
Outstanding analysis and insights, chapeau! I’d wondered about the ramp-rate dimension!
It took me a while to get on inserts and definitely research on which to try first. I ride hardtail and love it; it's familiar and predictable. I decided on Tannus Tubeless as it was almost half the weight(150g) and while Cushcore was said to do better on the big hits, Tannus was better on the smaller stuff and general trail chatter. That's what I was looking for. I needed something to take the edge off the whole trail, not just a couple of heavy spots. I ended up getting tendonitis in my wrists last year (cross sport issues). It's helped riding so much as the toll of a long ride is lessened when the whole ride feels less chunky. I've also heard that the double air pocket of Tannus doesn't deaden the trail like Cushcore might and I like to react to the terrain. As for flat protection, I agree. I've ridden with others who have pinched on Cushcore riding full sus, even. It's nice if it happens to protect you from those moments when it could have pinched, but it's not an end all. At least you can ride it out, though.
What I have learned is that the insert doesn't necessarily mean you should run significantly lower tire pressure. As in, don't go from 35 to 20. Still explore and run the pressure that makes sense to the trail. I went from 25/29 f/r to 22/26 f/r sometimes 1psi lower in both depending on what I need that day. It's enough of a difference with the insert, but not a drastic psi change. I'm also 205-210 lbs. It's also not a tool for a rider to get lazy on the trails. It helps with traction and corners, but only just; working on technique has the most gains. There are moments the wheels will feel stiffer, oddly enough and it's probably that ramp up feeling, so definitely agree with that.
So what I tell people after having ridden inserts for half a year is that it helps take the edge off the whole ride and is good piece of mind.
That was the smoothest flow into a patreon push I have ever heard! Nice!
Gotta pay the bills somehow. A lot of people would rather support independent creators than hear a bunch of sponsored ads about which products are best.
Great video, again! I had Tannus Armour with Tubolito on the rear. It was ok for two months but then tubolito started to lose pressure. I had so many troubles with it, so I said fxxk it and went for tubeless as well on the rear. Now I enjoy the lightness of it and it is great. About the Cushcore I've heard that it is almost impossible to disamount it when you cut the tyre and want to use tube.
Thanks. Very informative that it's like a token for air pressure.
Thank you for this video. I’m just coming back to mountain biking and building a hard tail and they didn’t have tire inserts back then. I definitely don’t want to use up some of my suspension by putting a volume insert
Very good Video and i‘m absolutely with you! I think it‘s better to run a stiffer (60 tpi) or even a heavier tire (double down) instead of a tire insert. Less hassle and better ramp control. 🤙
Gotta say though for big riders (220+ lbs) I've been told time and again by similar sized riders to run inserts if I am going to run lower PSI. I know my PSI is higher than most riders on my trails because most aren't my size and I feel my tires DEFINITELY get squirrely on me and have to pay CLOSE attention to my PSI before I go on a ride.
Love the bottomless token reference. After ruining a carbon fiber rim on an unexpected square edge hit, I standardized on the CushCore. Love your content man! I just got a Ragley Big Al because of your review and love it for East coast riding!
I have used it for a year on my hardtail. The reason was to protect my carbon wheels as it replaced my alu stans wheelset MKR that was easily getting dents. I do run lower pressure with kush core. The cons were that wheels are heavier and riding feels slower.
IMO the "token" theory is completely wrong. The total volume of the tire is still so enormous compared to the small part that is compressed against an obstacle, that no real "ramping" is gonna happen. What you feel is that - because the cross sectional area is now smaller - you are bottoming out against the insert, and start to compress that as well.
For me personally, the main reason to use Cush Core is the damping properties. It prevents the tire from acting as a bouncing ball, calming it down with great effect. All of the smallest chatter just disappears, if you run low enough pressure of course. To me that's ~13 psi front and ~20 psi rear on 2.4 tires. Much, much lower than most people will ever go.
But I agree it doesn't necessarily make the bike ride better. I ride both FS and fully rigid, and on the rigid I way prefer larger volume tires without inserts for the exact reasons you mention.
Also, Cush Core works better with a mildly narrow rim. With a wide rim the insert won't push as hard against the sidewall, and the "lip" protruding over the rim edge will be much shorter and thinner, not preventing flats as good. For the same reason Cush Core XC is quite useless unless you run really small tires, like 2.0". It doesn't do anything at all, in my experience. Much too small for a noticeable effect.
Cushcore on the rear wheel for 27.5x2.8" tyres was a good move. Used to clip rocks and edges heaps while riding low pressure, now no issues. Not a magic solution for all bikes and riding environments, but does the job.
Everything mentioned was spot on and accurate. The biggest benefit of CC for me is the increase in cornering traction. If you race this will give more confidence to rail turns and reduce times. Don't care much about the other benefits honestly. I have busted rims with CC and ended using the same psi. If you are into cornering hard on g-outs, flat corners and lose tech, give it a try. If not, save your $$.
I got 2 hardtails because of you my ragley big al and my Rocky Mountain growler
interesting video. I have been running nukeproof ARD inserts for about a year now on my Stans baron wheelset front and rear 29x2.8 and I have no complaints, i have not ridden the wheels without the inserts in them so i have no comparison. But I can say that the wheelset doesnt feel much different than my other bikes.
Such an excellent explanation. Would love to see a video on how you weight and unweight the HT on a trail.
I plan to do this soon, but i need to find a helper to film it for me.
Yes! That should be a really helpfull video!
@@hardtailparty I’d do it if I was local.
I've come to the same conclusion about the ride quality with cushcore and prefer not using it. However I've found it pretty much necessary to run one on the rear wheel to reduce the impact of hitting rim. I haven't ever felt the need to try one on the front.
A few more things i forgot to mention:
1. Another side effect of running inserts is that they can cause you to bottom out the tire more. There's less height between the outer contact patch and the inner "rim" which is now covered in foam. So rocks that didn't used to contact the rim now contact the cushcore because it's closer to the ground. It's a nice, soft bottom out, but it happens a lot more with an insert in.
2. I broke my pinky. Fortunately i was filming, so you'll get to see how it happened soon. More info on Instagram.
3. I'm not anti-inserts, i just prefer not to run them for my terrain where i live. I think they're a great option for a lot of people.
4. Do you run inserts? What have you noticed about them?
I use Rimpact on the rear wheel of my hardtail. For about 6 months I coupled it with a supergravity or DD casing, currently it's inside a plain EXO HR2. My conclusions so far: 1) it allowed me to drop 2-3 psi without increasing rim to rock contact. 2) Due to the decreased air pressure and possibly the token effect, the rear of my bike feels more planted, more quiet over chatter. The difference is not worlds apart, but I can feel it and it's welcome. 3) At the end of a long ride when I'm tired and have to tackle the last few rocky trails, I make mistakes. And this is where the insert helps most, minimise the consequenses of these mistakes. I take a bad line, the rear wheel hits a rock the wrong way, Rimpact has my back. 4) It is possible to pedal back home with a flat. Had a problem with my valve, all air got out and the tyre bead wouldn't sit with a handpump. I (carefully) rode 10km home without damaging the tyre or rim. 5) Tyre changes become a bit of a hassle. With some technique and preparation no foul language is required, but it does get a bit more complicated. The conclusion for me: I will always use one on the rear wheel of my ht.
I have inserts on my XC hardtail, and the "negative" characteristic of a harder bottom out is why I have them. Since XC tires have very thin and flexible casing, the tires squirm a lot and bottom out a lot. Cushcore XC has solved those problems. And obviously, I love the extra small bump compliance that comes with the lower pressure because it gives me grip when I need it: over small rocks. Cornering is also greatly improved. The bonus of being able to sort of ride home (though not very good with the XC cushcore) is also a plus. As for the extra weight, my XC hardtail is light enough so I don't mind the extra weight considering how much time I can gain through corners.
The negatives to inserts are weight (obviously) and also the harsher end of travel feeling (which comes with a proportionately more secure tire in corners)
I ride a Vittoria airliner on the rear of my Surly KM single speed and love it for how I can get out of the saddle on climbs and the rear won't bounce on roots and rocks for being down to 16-17 psi. I can keep my momentum much easier and the small bump compliance is a back saver.
Regarding your comment that an insert will cause you to bottom out the tire more - I suppose this depends on the shape. Cushcore yes, Vittoria, probably not.
I’m using Victoria airliner. You can run them flat and It offers more cushioning, apposed to a strip of rubber like some of the other brands
I love cushcore on my hardtail. Definitely worth.
Thanks for the Information Steve, I needed to see this.......🤝🏾🇺🇸💪🏾👍🏾
Hey Steve ! That's really intresting thanks for sharing and Im so glad I saw this video.
I recently got Rimpact protection for my Hunt Enduro Wides V2's running Schwalbe 2.6. Before the Insert honestly my hardtail so smooth and was running 18psi rear , I wanted to experiment with inserts and after installing it and going for a ride It felt exactly like you were saying with " Harsh" and felt like it was "bottoming out" however trail chatter was gone significantly but tI feel like it eliminated the smooth " suspension feel" that I was getting from the 2.6. Thinking to remove the insert and just use the full tire suspension.
I live on Denmark and my trails are 70% smooth woods and trimmed single track and pick my lines carfefully , maybe it works better where people live in very rocky,rooty terrain .
Cheers !
I remember the first time tire sealant started to become mainstream, and most people at least wanted to believe it would just work every single time. On most rides there was several tube installs, or half sealed tires where people were in limp mode. I haven't owned any trail bike in some years now, so I at least hope the sealants have become better, or if tire plugs is the weapon of choice.
as a novice absorbing an over abundance of information to help me learn and make decisions, this is the single best video on inserts that I've seen.
Being a slightly older dude who rides a hardtail, this gets me thinking much more critically about whether inserts are a good investment at my level.
All things being equal, the Tannus Armour is worth it simply for puncture protection.
I run cushcore in front only with 17 pounds in front, steadies up tyre while having great grip, mounted Secus to take care of suppleness off the top, traction and fork proving to be where I need it. Used to run 20 without cushcore and never had any problems but tyre was a little squirrelly.
I’m 195 lb without gear and ride somewhat aggressively. I’m not bashing my way through stuff though. I *finesse* my way through chunk, g-outs, roots, etc. but I’ve bent my rear wheel, broken a spoke, burps for days, rolled my tire in corners, and gave one of those loud BONGs, when my tire bottoms out. Finally put in cushcore and it’s eliminated a lot of that. I don’t feel a huge difference if any at all. But it does seem to be comfortable. Sort of like adding a little bit of progression to the tire.
Super interesting. I haven't tried inserts, but I understand why people are running them in CO.
On my hardtail I run 2.35 tires, Vittoria Aggarro on the front and Barzo on the rear. I use a full cushcore in the rear and nothing on the front. 25psi rear and 23 front. It is super fast and I can push as hard as I want, with reasonable traction for the terrain I ride my hardtail on. It's the way.
I run xc cushcore front and rear on my full suspension.
This is extremely interesting. Ive never thought of this at a "tire token" but it makes sense. As a 200lb advanced/ agressive rider i wish i could run lower psi or no cushcore. I go 21 24 when im feeling daring.
Have you tried just running a full on DH casing? (With no cushcore) I think that's where I'm headed with my next set of tires. Deal with the weight for the ability to run lower pressure and still have "stiff" sidewalls...
@@SnootchieBootchies27 i have actually but i belive exo + with cushcore is the same.if not lighter than full on dh casing tires. So i opted to get the cushcore due to myself thinking it would be more protective.
I use a 2,8 tire, altho i will switch to 2,6. I ride a hardtail as well and i love to smash stairs, rock gardens etc. I am 220lbs. You can go really soft with them.
when I was 210, and riding the crap out of my hardtail, I was running 18-20PSI with a Tannus Tubeless insert on the back. I can go to 17 comfortably at 185 without a care in the world. DT511 rim, Vittoria Agarro 2.6 tire.
@@SnootchieBootchies27 The problem with a DH casing is that it will roll like crap, while Cush Core in a thinner tire will actually roll _better_ than the same tire without an insert.
Great video 👌
I use a rear insert because I run a rear plus size tire at a higher pressure. It keeps the tire from being to bouncy on slow tech when I like to lockout the back suspension. This also gives me an extra half inch on bb clearance.
Was thinking of running an insert on my rear wheel having got the Zipp 3zero wheel set I just want that little extra protection to be available, especially as a heavier rider.
#4, yes I do run inserts on my Plus tires but not on my 2.3-2.5 size tires.
I've ran: Cushcore Plus size, Vittoria Plus and Medium size, Standard Huck Norris Plus size and Ratbike Plus size.
Rider: 145 lbs/5'6"/Medium size 27.5 bikes
Bikes: 2019 Guerilla Gravity Pedalhead, 2019 Marin San Quentin 2, 2020 Ragley Marley, 2021 Ragley Mmmbop.
Wheesets: Roval Carbon 38mm, ENVE M635, Reserve 37, Baron/Hydra/Standard spokes 2x lace, Baron/Vesper/Standard spokes 3x lace, Baron/Hydra/Bladed spokes 3x lace.
Tires: Butcher 2.8, Rocket Ron 2.8, Rekon 2.8, Slauther 2.8
Trails: Highspeed 20+ mph flowy trails to rock garden (Reno/Carson/Tahoe/Auburn/BayArea)
Cushcore - Not for protecting your rims or eliminating pinch flats. They're design as tire suspension. You buy this for that damped feel and sidewall support. Minimizing pinch flats and rim dents is just a bonus. I don't run these on my bikes anymore because they are very heavy at 290 grams and they get cuts easily on my aluminum wheels.
Huck Norris - Lightweight at 120 grams for Plus size and doesn't do anything on the tire suspension. It just feels like you're running tubeless setup, no insert which feels great especially on slow tech stuff up and down the hill. Highspeed runs at 20+ mpg to chunks is a guaranteed dented rim or pinch flat. I like this on my full suspension and on my HT when riding flow type trails or slow speed tech.
Vittoria Airliner Plus - 220 grams. Takes up all the space inside the tire which makes the bike very, very bouncy. Even if you loose air, it still feels bouncy because you're basically riding on the insert itself which is a thick, dense foam. Good side wall support on highspeed berms and great protection on highspeed chunks at over 22 mph hitting square edge rocks and you can't feel the tire bottoming out at all. Also doesn't feel like a drag to pedal up the hill vs Cushcore. Run-flat system btw which I tested on my climb out from Demonstration Forest. I climbed the first 1 mile back to the car and it was rideable. Not squirmy, doesn't feel flat to be honest.
Vittoria Airliner Medium - 150 grams. Still bouncy just like the Plus size and it's not any less bouncy either. They're both bouncy compared to CC or HN. Lightweight at only 30 grams more than HN and protection is way better! 20 mph smashing to rocks is not a problem with this insert on. Sidewall doesn't have any support like CC or Airliner Plus.
Ratbite - Lightweight at 80 grams but it absorbs all 2oz of sealant in 1 week of riding and does NOT do anything in protecting your rims/tires nor suspension dampening.
Do you have PayPal link? I just want to do a one time donation as opposed to monthly. DM me here or on IG. Thanks!
29” Hunt trail wide wheels with 30mm internal rims, 2.4” Maxxis DHR (pair) with exo casing. Hunt rimpact insert on rear. Running 19psi at the front and 20psi rear. I’m 78kg.
Thx for this vid. I made a DIY insert for a few bugs to try inserts because the high price made me shy away. I wanted to try inserts because I hoped for more supple ride and more rim protection on the last big ride with a lot of chunk.
Still I am not sure if it helped. Anyway, I saved a lot of money 😜
I’ve been riding around at 30 psi for eons. I will try what you said… next spring.
When I rode hardtails i rarely had pinch flats (because I was careful, slower and more delicate). Even on a 26" dually it was fine. Since riding ebikes I've killed so many tyres close to the bead with a bite- that I'm running tubes again as I can't afford new tyres. Was keen on this product to help minimise flats.
Id be interested in your opinion on the new tannus tubeless insert vs the cushcore.
Excellent video, as always
They have a harsher feel when bottoming out. The cushcore is a softer bottom out feel. The tabnus is nice and light though.
Second that! TT creates two air chambers (above and below the insert) that are connected by small holes (6 ports) that act as dampers to slow down a really hard hit, then if/when the tire approaches clanging against the rim lip the Tannus foam absorbs and distributes more of the impact to further safeguard the tire sidewall from hard pinching. It takes up some volume but not a huge amount like Vittoria Air Liners or Rimpact or even CushCore... Many of the guys at NSMB use them
Thank you for your work always learning from your Channel!
It would be great if you can do a review for rim width differences and when to use i30,i35,i40 etc , you always discuss unique topics and great knowledge.
I have a video on that topic
@@hardtailparty I watched almost all your awesome videos probably haven't come across that video yet
You mind telling me the title of that video please
I’ve now tried Cushcore, FTD II, Tannus, Rimpact. All made a significant improvement to traction. All made the rear end feel heavier and draggy. All made the ride harsher, some much harsher. Not for me.
They claim cushcore gives les fatigue, working as a suspension.
Totally agree about the progressive feel, for me it felt like "the best of both worlds" - I really like low pressure (10-15 PSI), the inserts allowed me to maintain small bump sensitivity while giving the tire a more efficient riding feel. This probably compensates for my technique, I'm not aggressive but I do slam my rear wheel quite a bit
hi does the efficient riding feel comphensate for the weigh of the insert?
@@athishmarutharaj6001 good question , it definitely felt like that in the beginning, but to be honest I haven't put the insert on my new wheelset
15 PSI? Whobbling in the Corners?
@@crankmeistereder1911 not really, I'm a pretty light rider, and I don't push it that hard in the corners. I actually swapped my wheel set and haven't reinstalled my inserts, mainly because I was annoyed by how they soaked up my sealant 😕
@@ssmtb i am running an ARD in the rear now, i got used to the weight and I don't think it soacks up that much selant, it weighs 150g. on pavement it felt like a long spool up but for rooty climbs I was blasting off at 10 psi and felt that the tire ramped up at the right time to push me forward! I only feel this when standing up and peadling tho.
Great explanation. I hope that broken or injured finger (bike related?) is nothing serious! On another note, I think inserts make more sense with a tubed set up, but for tubeless it kind of goes against the purpose.
Cool video man
I love my hardtail and are a bit old school i still run inner tubes i have a tannus armour insert in the rear tyre i love it its mainly to try and stop punctures
I have a set of those in for an upcoming experiMENTAL vid. If i still ran tubes, I'd probably run those inserts too. I'm excited to try them.
@@hardtailparty
Look forward to seeing that video and seeing what you think of them
Well said Steve. People always think that I must be getting flat tires on my rigid all the time. Really, the opposite is true. When you have no suspension, you ride in such a way that you are just not smashing into things.
Riding my hardtail with 40 psi and still getting pinchflats, Running a gravity casing and a vittoria tire insert, is the only way that I can keep up in rock gardens and tech, so i only have to run 30psi
I love my tannus tire insert on my hardtail.
I get much less dents on the rim and burping even with light inserts like Rimpact. Thats a great reason to run them.
I can vouch for Rimpact. So good for being so cheap.
I run Rimpact in the rear at just about the same pressures as before. I mostly run it to prevent rim strikes, not so much when getting over stuff but on rocky landings off jumps or drops and also at the bottom of troughs when pumping (I was bottoming out the tire before at reasonable tire pressures). I'm not much of a plower, but there were a few situations where rim strikes were an issue. I don't notice too much other benefits to justify a rim strip. The weight penalty does suck though.
Cushcore or none doesn't really bother me too much right now as my bike was stolen a week ago. 😕😣😪
I totally appreciate the video tho Steve, as always. I love hearing you give your advice from your experiences. As a heavy rider, I would lean towards looking into them to help with my experiences with rolling in turns, as well as a better tyre casing. My Schwalbe Smart Sams don't cut it on anything more than a pretty basic blue or maybe green trail. But that's if I ever get my bike back...
Bummed to the max.
Noooooo!
@@hardtailparty Not much will stop a cordless angle grinder & no one doing or saying anything, despite it being a high foot traffic area. Police report filed, Bike Vault entry created & checking all the usual online places people try & sell stolen bikes.
After destroying 2 rear rims just a few months apart, I tried Cushcore for a while...and rather promptly destroyed my 3rd rim. After that, I stopped using it. The other benefits didn't seem worth the hassle (perhaps I don't corner hard enough?) So, I check my sealant monthly, and ride with at least 30 psi in each tire. Traction suffers a bit, but I can adapt to that. And WHEN I slice a tire mid-ride and have to put a tube in, I don't have to finish the ride with a pool-noodle-bandolier around my torso.
bruh
Sounds like u need to work on your riding technique
what rims were u using so i know to never buy them?
@@danp2509 The one I broke with Cushcore in it was a Velocity Blunt rim. I'll never buy the Velocity rims again - they were a cool company, and offered to warranty it, but that rim is just not very strong. The point I was trying to make in my original post was simply that Cushcore isn't going to protect your rims much (like I hoped it would) if reduced tire pressure is one of the benefits you want from it. I guess I didn't make that very clear the first time.
Great content. Little myth busting
I'm personally done with kushcore or any inserts. The hassle it is to install and uninstall them isn't worth the small gains that they give me. Their weight is another factor I don't want to deal with. I'm not a hard charger but I need more volume to ease the strain on my sore back and decided to build up a high engagement plus rear wheel again for my hardtail. I will experiment with the bike 29" mullet vs 27.5" plus front and back . Thanks for the objective opinion on inserts!
Hey Steve, what's your thoughts on running an insert while bikepacking? I'm riding the Colorado Trail in September on a hardtail and was curious what you thought. I plan on running a tire in the 2.25 - 2.3 range. As you know the bike will already be heavy and it's hard to be light on the bike when loaded. I was looking at the Vittoria Airliner Light, Regular Vittoria Airliner, or Cuschcore XC. Thanks for any advice or insight you can provide. Thanks!
Thanks for this info. What did you do to the finger dude?
Broke it while reviewing a bike. Fortunately i was filming so you'll get to see the footy soon.
With my RA, Cushcore has helped with vibrations transferring to my joints. Just seems like rocky tech feels less jarring to me. Running Assegai tires, around, 20 to 22 psi. If I didn't have RA, I probably wouldn't be using a tire insert.
Something like a Nukeproof ARD adds very little weight and does add protection to the rim, I've been able to ride down a fireroad after slicing a tyre with no air fine. It also definitely reduces the risk of dinging your rim which I think is the main benefit.
Couldn't feel any difference in the ride or sidewall strength though but it isn't as substantial as cushcore but for £50 the pair I think it's a no brainer
I use ARD in my dt swiss ex1501 . I am agree with your impresions. Not too heavy, good price and I can't notice any change in my rides scept for more tracción due to low pressure.
The #1 reason I run cushcore in the rear on my HT is Rim Protection. I am too cheap to be replacing dented rims. Is the cush helping save my rear rim a little bit or is it saving my rear rim a lot??
Nice. Learned a bunch of things. I don’t ride with cushcore and I don’t think I will. I deal with a lot of roots but not many sharp rocks and like you I try to get light when I need to in order to protect my rims. Thanks for the video. By the way, how is your finger?
Finger still hurts, but if i tape it up well i can ride a bit.
Spot on as always Steve, great video.
When a man who’s been riding hard tails for 20+ speaks, you just listen.
I know for my level of skill, that inserts are essential. I have the Tannus tube inserts, which are definitely heavy. But man do they really help when I'm unable to get the weight off the back wheel. Or if I case a double, or tabletop.
I've only been riding a year and a half, and I'm just starting to be able to lift the back wheel.
Maybe I'll go back to tubeless when I can hop up over things. That'd be nice to get back the weight penalty....but for now, I'm fine with extra.
Lack of practice maybe? Ive been riding 3 months and can hold a manual, clear table tops and now learning to "whip".
Different strokes for different folks. With my hardtail, Cushcore XC in the rear takes the excessive harshness out of extended rock gardens for me, I've noticed it help with the rear tire not getting the "hung up feeling" in certain situations. Extra traction, and I run 2psi less which is huge on a HT. as someone who hits rim when riding fast,big extended chunk, cushcore changed the game for me. It has most definitely saved rims many of times. I run 2.3-2.35 tires and timed runs, I'm always faster on 2hr chunky chunky loops with cushcore XC in the rear.
I prefer thicker casing on my Enduro bike without cushcore. But at only 100grams or so, cushcore XC with a fast trail tire is so worth it for me on the HT.
Try them out, if you don't like it, you can always resell it
I've tried them. I pinch flatted on my first ride with them, which was odd since its the only time I've pinch flatted in the past 2 years.
I drop 5-6 psi with cushcore, not 2-3. Makes the bike ride much softer, grip better and protects the rim and from flats (not all of course).
Just built up my first mountain bike--a Pipedream Moxie mk3--and forgot to install CushCore... and after watching this video, I think it'll be a happy mistake.
Good analysis of the cushcore. The plus size 2.6 Schwalbe tires that came stock on my Polygon Siskiu T8 felt pretty bouncy and the cushcore made it feel much more connected to the terrain even on average flow trails. If If I had 2.25 instead of 2.6 wide tires, it probably would be as necessary.
Yes! My hard tail with 2.6 maxxis dissectors feels bouncy and I get pedal feedback
What width rims are you running?
@@hardtailparty mullet setup from factory. 30mm inner width
That's probably why. I feel like 30i is too narrow for 2.6. it leads to sidewalk squirm at lower pressures.
@@hardtailparty you are pretty darn awesome.
I've ran huck norris and they do nothing in terms of pushing on the sides/bead of the tire. The foam strip basically "floats" in the tire and only does anything on larger impacts when it protects your rim.
Early on it seemed that the narrative was "You need inserts for any hardtail". I experimented with my tire pressure for literally 6 months before settling on my current psi; 18 psi front/ 20 psi rear, I am 190lbs, running 27.5 x 2.8's. I figured it out that I just wasn't an aggressive enough rider to need inserts. Like you, I am just out to ride trails and not Enduro or Downhill and have only banged my rim once on a poorly timed bunny hop.
That's another reason i love 2.8s: they have a really talk sidewall so you can run lower pressures without the fear of rim strikes and damage.
@@hardtailparty I hated 2.8s because of the sidewall...got too squirmy under cornering loads. Though I was 210 and riding fast and hard, so that certainly didn't help. I am down to about 185 and running 2.6 because they do give that more direct feel on cornering, without giving up too much to the 2.8 in terms of absolute traction. If I wasn't railing corners, I would definitely be on 2.8s for the max grip.
hello Mr HT im heading for Denver CO in 2 days specifically in Vail area and im looking for bike rentals (hardtails ) I dont want none of that full sus bs haha. I come to you cause you the man when it comes to hardtails so...any place you might recommend for a hard tail enduro maybe some ragley rentals???
I don't know anywhere that rents hardcore hardtails sadly. Spot is out of golden and they rent their rockers, but those aren't aggressive hardtails.
i wouldn't even ride my hardtail without cushcore. mainly because i know id smash my rim up without it. cushcore has absolutely changed the game, but incredibly so on the ht.
I hate when the pressure tires is low and tires slips at the corners on tarmac
One time I did an offroad corner too aggressive and the sealant came a bit off
I ride an evo 22 and i ride with tubes, i need more wheels... I have to ride to much pressure, i feel it to much on the roots and stones, but i need to have high pressures or i get punctures. Almost 40 in pressure soon i change to no tubes and cushcore...
Run it rear only in PHX; for chunky terrain and heavier rider is worth it. Funny, I did pinch flat bad one time with cushcore and it was in Sedona on a Hardtail party ride. LOL.
I like cushcore at somo.
@@hardtailparty yes! But SoMo is smooth compared to my local trails in the White Tanks Mts.
Will you ever make a video riding in Vegas and would you ride your hardtail on legalize it trail? I was rode mine last month there my chromag stylus
Maybe one day. I haven't ridden there before. I'm scared to go down and shred my legs.
@@hardtailparty yeah it was a little more than I could handle for me coming from north California but after watching your videos iv been stopping and trying to clear things that I wasn’t able to ride before a couple of times before giving up and that’s how I got thru those trails just sessioning stuff the whole way up and down. It’s pretty fun just slow specially on a hardtail
I'm a 230 gorilla and ride like one. CC has for sure save my rear i9 hoop for total destruction. Towards the end on the factory hoops life, about 6 months, I was worried that whilst inflating the tube the bead was going to fail. The hoop was dented past tub-less capability. I also did the way I can rail tight corner and trust that the rear is going to hold traction and not burb out. I can see why lighter rider may not benefit from a CC as much as us Clydesdale though.
Cc makes a ton of sense for your situation.
Hi! I love your videos. I am planning to get this hard tail called the nuke proof scout and I was wondering what your opinion is on that bike.
Have you every tested the Mynesweepers tire inserts? Interested to hear your thoughts if you do get a chance to try them.
No, not yet. This is the first I've heard of them.
On the token analogy....it doesn't seem apples to apples. Tokens in a fork are fully rigid so all of the suspension is left up to the air volume....hence more tokens...faster and often harsher ramp up. In the tire scenario...wouldn't that ramp up occur to a point then sort of "smush" the non rigid Cush Core and allow it to provide some suspension and cushion benefits? Love the videos.....some of the best out there!
These don't absorb air or sealant, so until the rim bottoms out on them, they act like a volume token. Once they rim contacts them, they're more like a bottom out bumper on a coil shock
Spitting truth, as always! Does Tannus Armour for tubes do essentially the same thing, or is it different since it sits below the tire (instead of on the rim)?
They do the same in terms of reducing the air volume and therefore increasing ramping up (but remember that you can run lower pressure). They also prevent burping and pinch flats because they go all they way down to the edges of the tire that press against the wheel wall. But, in addition they offer a lot of protection against sharp rocks, thorns, prickles and things like that, which the other inserts do not. In my experience they are absolutely great. The downside is the added weight of course. But for me is a perfectly fine price to pay if you ride in rough, bumpy, rooty, rocky, thorny and not-groomed trails. As a 92 kg hardtail rider I can say that I am extremely happy with the tubes + Tannus armour combination.
@@amhtxc2960 Great info! I'm still weighing whether or not I like them. They seem to do their job, but most of the trails around here don't have sharp rocks, roots, or thorns. Do you notice a difference in tire grip one way or another?
@@isaacbrooks5999 i have a set of tubed tannus inserts I'll be experimenting with on my klunker in the future. I can't wait to try them out.
@@hardtailparty ExperiMENTAL!
@@isaacbrooks5999 Grip is better because I can run lower a pressure with better laterar firmness, other than that, the tire pattern will be determinat.
tire inserts are one of the best inventions of the last years in MTB. Only in the rear.
Hi! I love riding HT, I built it now around top-spec components including carbon wheels. But I have one problem with the tires, I took 2.6" tires to get more volume to gain more "suspension" , but it appears now to have very poor sidewall support. So on hard turns I just can't release all my skill because I feel like tires couldn't take it, they're squirming a lot. I can partly fix it by inflating some crazy pressure like 40 psi, but then it's overly stiff. So my problem is mostly sidewall support and sometimes I'm scared a bit about carbon rim on rear wheel. In this case cushcore is applicable or I better swap to narrower tire / harder casing tire?
Lots of people go to wider tires without wider rims. That leads to sidewalk squirm.
You mention 28 inner width rim and 2.6 tires not working well together. My bike came stock with 28 inner width rims and 2.6 tires. Is this something that changes the ride quality.
What kind of tire tires sizes are you all riding? 30-40 PSI?? I'm riding 29 x 2.6" on a Yeti ARC with ~17-19 PSi with no issues in the rock gardens of CO and OR. Never had a flat.
riding at 40psi with tubeless and still getting pinch flats, got a vittoria air liner, and i can now run 25 psi, and no worries about pinch flats, and tons more traction. Also the higher psi is still needed for hard impacts, like flat landings.
Does @dustybetty use inserts? Would she get much benefit or need it VS a heavier rider?
No, she doesn't. She needs the lightest wheel/tire setup possible at 110 lbs.
Where can I get a Hardtail Party flannel?
th-cam.com/video/9lFItvC-8gU/w-d-xo.html
Huck Norris would not prevent burping. The purpose of a huck norris is to get holes cut in it when it takes impacts and to clog up sealant on its Velcro strap and turn your liquid sealant into a hard ball.
How much below min psi tire pressure should I go when tubeless. 3-5 psi below for example. I'm 235lbs and ride in Vegas. I don't ride this bike at bootleg
Depends on your starting pressure. I'd experiment around and when you feel the rim bottom out on rocks, add 2 psi.
Cushcore looks to be working well on your pinky finger!
i bashed a healthy dent into my rim on a fossil, on "the Rim", lol. Anyway, is there anything you know of for a fat bike? 26x4.8. i heard of using a pool noodle, but i have not been able to confirm that.
Say it ain't so. I thought they'd get me a national champs jersey w/out training. Or so I was led to believe ; -)
Another misconception in this video, cushcore are not hard to fit, if you follow the install guide!
Absolutely love cushcore in both wheels of my Orange P7 and for our wet rooty trails I wouldn't have a serious MTB without them.
Ps I race enduro on my P7 in the UK so horses for courses
Unweighting your back wheel to allow the bike to roll over an obstacle . That statement is the way you ride a hardtail . Your legs and lower body do need to be stronger than what you need on a full squish . I thought of making a homemade insert but seeing videos like yours has let those materials to sit for over a year and maybe not worth my time experimenting .