CushCore XC 29 Review

Punctures are the hate that dare not speak its name for big days out in big terrain. No one wants to have a puncture. No one wants to have multiple punctures (once you’ve had one puncture it seems to open the floodgates for them, doesn’t it?) Punctures are very much the cyclist’s traditional nemesis.

• Price: £84.99
• From: silverfish-uk.com

There are ways of combating punctures. I’m exclusively talking about pinch flats here by the way, not thorns, etc. And the term ‘pinch flats’ includes damaged tubeless tyre walls too. Pretty much all of the usual ways of warding off punctures result in a negative effect on bike handling or rider energy levels.

Running higher pressures leads to harsh, sketchy bike handling. Running DH-casing tyres results in rider exhaustion before they’ve got up the first climb of the day.

The best solution to keeping the dreaded deflations at bay is a tyre insert. And in my opinion, CushCore is still the best option. Particularly since it brought out the trail bike-friendly ‘XC’ version of its insert for tyre widths up to 2.5in and inner rim widths of 22mm to 32mm.

Weighing in at 150g, it can be run in a relatively lightweight, faster rolling trail casing tyre and be lighter than the basic DH tyre option would be while offering similar levels of pinch protection. CushCore XC inserts also offer the bonuses of protecting your rim/tyre from impact damage from rocks and improving the on-trail stability of thinner sidewall tyres.

With a CushCore XC in a lighter tyre, you can run lower pressures and have no increase in wibbly wobbly handling or puncture risk. Yes, they are expensive for what they are, but I only really run one in the rear tyre and – when it comes to barrelling down a rocky descent in the middle of nowhere – the confidence in knowing that you have a CushCore in the rear is priceless.

This product features in our Daytrippin’ Kit Essentials buyer’s guide

Review Info

Ben Haworth

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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