Rimpacts / Cushcore /other - which do you prefer?

Cushcore takes up the most volume usually, so is trickier to instal. Also it changes the ride feel the most, although at least now you have XC/Trail and Pro versions to suit the feel and protection you need.

What tyre casing do you run and why are you insert curious?

Cushcore is definitely easier to install if you follow the instructions, especially important for the Trail/pro versions. Personally Cushcore XC front, Trail back is the combo.

Haven't crossed paths with Cushcore, but Rimpact isn't too difficult to fit.

And the Rimpact Pro inserts are one of those Goldilocks products IMO: brilliant protection, not too heavy and nice ride feel as well.

I prefer none.. no reason to use them IMO these days.

I prefer none.. no reason to use them IMO these days.

I'd say that's location specific - depending how rocky your riding is.

I prefer none.. no reason to use them IMO these days.

Didn't you only run them on the back?

I'd agree running only one is pretty pointless (unless you are regularly smashing rear rims) but running CushCore front and rear has completely changed the way I ride and how I set up my bike for the better in pretty much every way.

Cushcore, but only on the rear. They are all a pain to install. You can see why if you put a 27.5" cushcore on an old 26" rim it'll still snap home tightly - you have to lift them well past that point on a bigger diameter rim to get the bead in.

Beware that, though you shouldn't need to, in-field "I'll just shove a tube in" repairs are utterly impossible.

Didn’t you only run them on the back?

We did for a while, but we were told by tyre techs at both Conti and Maxxis that their current tyres (maybe DH specific, not sure) are optimised for non-insert use, something to do with volumes of air and how carcasses react and deform etc... A lot of it went over my head in terms of knowledge, but the gist was "don't need em, don't run em".
As i say, i'm not sure if that was only for their DH compounds/tyres or not... so don't blame me 🙂

I ran Rimpact on just the rear for a bit after I smashed a rear rim - a carbon Roval, if you're interested, I honestly didn't think it made a difference to my riding style, and.. 

Beware that, though you shouldn’t need to, in-field “I’ll just shove a tube in” repairs are utterly impossible.

...this scenario a few miles more than was convenient to walk home saw the end of my insert 'journey'

I think it's best to think of inserts as creating a new system rather than just adding something new to an existing system.

Also, don't be afraid to go nuts with the reductions in pressure:

Obviously that's not something you can really do if you are only running a single insert, but running two means you can just keep dropping pressure and seeing what happens.

I now run 15 psi in the back and 13 psi in the front.  Less if it's wet.  I also now run my suspension much firmer and the bike is a lot better all round for it, imo.

When it comes time to change tyres I'm also planning on going a step down in size as I'm currently feeling a bit 'over-tyred' with this set up.  Also going with the thinnest sidewalls I can find.

Like I said, it's worth thinking of creating a new system rather than just adding something to an existing system.

I might do without them if I got free rims and wheel rebuilds, but they are very effective at preventing rim dings.

And you can generally ride home on a flat with a Rimpact IME.

Beware that, though you shouldn’t need to, in-field “I’ll just shove a tube in” repairs are utterly impossible.

Nah, just needs a bit of determination. They come out much easier than they go in.

And you can generally ride home on a flat with a Rimpact IME.

I found - after about 1/2 mile or so, that wasn't the case, but also I accept that's its probs location/trail/tyre dependant.

For hardtail rocky XC (fragile tyres) we're using Vittoria Air-liner on the rear of a couple of bikes and it has made a massive difference to reliability. No more rim dings from rocks and expensive trashed tyres.

Just using the mtb small size even with 2.35" tyres and it is a great bit of added security for minimal weight and you still have a decent volume of air in there. The big groove down the middle means they work with normal tubeless valves and only £20 at Merlin so not expensive for an experiment. Also not impossible to get off if they did need a tube fitting to a gashed tyre.

Huck Norris for me, I have them on all my MTBs. They're much cheaper than the aforementioned Cushcore etc, are much easier to fit, don't change the ride feel, and protect your rims if you mid-judge a rock/root/etc.

They can all be a PITA to fit. CushCore butt plug lever does make a big difference though.

I've used Vitoria and CushCore, but only in the rear, as that's the tyre/wheel that you're most likely to damage.

One sales rep keeps telling me I should try one in the front, but given the sweat (and often tears!) involved in fitting them, I keep telling them I'll only buy one for the front if they fit it. They go quiet after that suggestion 😂

As for riding with a flat tyre. I've ripped the sidewall out a tyre with the CushCore mid-trail, and in a straight line on a pretty rocky trail, there wasn't really any noticeable difference. It still rolled surprisingly well and braking was fine, but it did very noticeably squirm on corners and off-camber. The 4km of tarmac path back to the car park was also a bit of a drag, but still rideable. I was expecting the insert to be pretty knackered after that, but it was still immaculate.

But that was an improvement from the previous time when I burst the rear tyre bead without any insert, and couldn't get the valve out the rim to fit a tube, so had to walk the same 4km back in the rain.

Beware that, though you shouldn’t need to, in-field “I’ll just shove a tube in” repairs are utterly impossible.

I've got Vittoria Air Liner inserts in my gravel bike and this is very true - the tyres will not come off at all without Vittoria's special tool or some very big industrial quality tyre levers. I've had to ride it home flat once - thankfull only a very short distance and the insert worked fine at protecting the rim and allowing me to ride it like that. Apparently it can be ridden for an hour or so.

I'm a big fan of RimPact Pro (they came out as top in test when PinkBike did a group test).  I prefer to run a lighter casing and an insert rather than stiffer heavier tyres.

And you can generally ride home on a flat with a Rimpact IME.

A standard rimpact got me down the descent from 'The Gap' in pretty quick fashion when I got a puncture right in the centre of the tread just as I entered the rocky section at the top. The hole was too big to plug, and with the sun setting I was glad to get down so quickly, and with the rim completely unscathed too.

Cushcore pro in the e-bike, dented a rim a few weeks after buying. Bike and my extra weight to blame. Hopefully, they will help with this. Nothing on the carbon bike with carbon wheels.

Getting them on the rim was easy enough, plastic trowel over the rim, and pulled the cush core up.

Getting the second side of the tyre on was hard work and needed my sons hands to hold down the wheel. Almost gave up.

I haven't tried Cushcore but I used Rimpacts for a while and then when I went to a 29 hardtail I put Rimpact Pro on the back of both bikes and moved the old Rimpacts to the front. Took a little while to suss out the best pressures to run but I like how they feel and they're so good at protecting the rims. I'm not going to mention punctures because I don't want to tempt fate but I've ridden a good few miles on a completely flat tyre, twice, and the insert and tyre survived.

I’ve got Vittoria Air Liner inserts in my gravel bike and this is very true – the tyres will not come off at all without Vittoria’s special tool or some very big industrial quality tyre levers. I’ve had to ride it home flat once – thankfull only a very short distance and the insert worked fine at protecting the rim and allowing me to ride it like that. Apparently it can be ridden for an hour or so.

It must be very tyre dependent as to how easy they are to take off - I've put a tube in a flatted 35c cross boss with a vittoria insert and it was no problem. I did notice, though, that riding it flat felt terrible in my case, and stopped doing that pretty quick. So perhaps just the roominess of the tyre v insert varies a lot.

I have some rimpacts to fit to the big MTB but not done it yet. Surprised to read some of the less enthusiastic experiences above tbh, as the rim protection seems like a huge positive. Can see the bike would ride very differently though - I don't really care on my cross bike for bw bashing, but I couldn't get to grips with it in a race. Front felt odd in the turns but I needed to experiment more with the psi.

One tip to make fitting far easier, is don't use the maximum size insert for any given tyre. I once tried to fit a slightly smaller Schwalbe tyre using the Vitoria insert I have, which on paper should have fitted, as my preferred Michelin was out of stock.

After much blood, sweat and tears, the insert ended up launched in the back of the van until I managed to get a more suitably sized tyre!

I run Rimpact original (not the pro or the v2), and after discovering the CushCore lever I'm how happy with them. Can't say I prefer them as I haven't tried anything else. Last time I had them out they were pretty much as new, but for the sake of 90g per 29er wheel I'll take the peace of mind.

Anyone switched away from Rimpact, if so to what, and why?

I stopped running them so if anyone wants a 29er Rimpact V1, let me know.

I've only used Rimpact and I'm a convert. Got them on both bikes. There's no point only running one since the most recent tyres and rims I've destroyed have been on the front.

I love the way the make the bike feel. It's like an extra layer of suspension. The take so much flex and squirm out of the tyres and I almost never hear a dreaded rim-ding.

I haven't had a single puncture, written off tyre or dented rims since I've been using them. Last week I was absolutely battering them through endless rock gardens for 5 days in a row and they were fine.

we were told by tyre techs at both Conti and Maxxis that their current tyres (maybe DH specific, not sure) are optimised for non-insert use, something to do with volumes of air and how carcasses react and deform etc

Of all the people to ask, they would be the ones to say exactly that though wouldn't they?

This may be of interest - every manufacturer asked what their thoughts on inserts are https://www.pinkbike.com/news/interview-talking-about-tires-maxxis-schwalbe-continental-wtb-specialized.html

All I know is that I've used all different types of tyres casings from all the major brands on trails all over the world. Usually with a DH or gravity bias.

I used to dent or crack rims and I used to slice tyres or burp them or have massive blowouts.

Now I never do any of that. I know I'll still puncture or break something eventually but right now I just don't worry about it.