On a gravel bike, tires often serve as the primary form of suspension. To get the most comfort out of them, you usually need to run relatively low air pressures.
However, this can compromise cornering, as the tire sidewalls may flex or fold under high loads. Lower pressures also increase the risk of damaging your rims.
Cushcore tire inserts claim to address these issues, offering a safer, more comfortable, and potentially faster ride, at least in theory.
So, does Cushcore actually live up to the hype?
What Are Cushcore Tire Inserts?
Cushcore inserts were originally developed for downhill mountain bikes, where every bit of suspension and traction can make a huge difference on fast descents. They later expanded to trail bikes, and now the brand is aiming at the gravel market.
The concept behind Cushcore is straightforward: a specialized foam insert sits inside your tire, protecting your rim from hard impacts that are common when running low tire pressures.
Cushcore also enhances overall comfort by stabilizing the sidewalls, reducing the tire’s tendency to feel bouncy.
Finally, it improves handling in tight corners by limiting unwanted tire movement, giving you more confidence and allowing you to carry speed through turns.
The Installation… Is Not Effortless
Cushcore only works with a tubeless setup, so you need both tubeless-ready rims and tubeless-ready tires to use the system. You also have to use the Cushcore-specific valves, as standard tubeless valves won’t work.
I assumed installation would be straightforward; after all, I’ve been setting up tubeless tires for years.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. My setup was 650B × 50 mm Panaracer GravelKing SK tires with Cushcore XC inserts. These tires are already a snug fit on my DT Swiss M1900 Spline wheels, and adding the Cushcore foam only made the process more challenging.
The process begins by placing the inserts onto the rim, which is fairly straightforward thanks to the ridges that match the rim’s inner dimensions.
Things get much trickier when it’s time to seat the tire beads. You need significantly more force than usual, along with plenty of soapy water to help the tire settle. The most difficult part is using two tire levers and applying serious pressure to get the last section of the bead over the rim.
With practice, the process becomes easier, but it will always take longer than a standard tubeless tire installation.
My Benchmark Bike Setup
I equipped my Jamis Renegade benchmark bike with a rigid carbon fork, rigid FSA stem, Ergon Allroad Pro carbon seatpost, DT Swiss M1900 650B wheels, and Panaracer GravelKing SK 50mm tires.
I then experimented with different tire pressures on both the front and rear wheels, testing each setup with and without the Cushcore inserts.
Vibration Test Results
You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.
Remarkably, adding Cushcore inserts resulted in a noticeable comfort boost across the board, both subjectively and in my measurements.
At the same tire pressure, comfort improved by 14% on the fast gravel road, a level of improvement that few component changes can match. The rear saw a smaller, but still perceptible, 3.9% gain.
On a bumpy forest trail, the difference was slightly less pronounced. I measured an 8% improvement at the front at the same tire pressure, which increased to 12.3% when the tire pressure was lowered to 15 psi.
Cushcore Comfort Analysis
Cushcore truly delivers a more comfortable ride, surprisingly, without any noticeable drawbacks.
I expected tires with Cushcore inserts to feel strange, especially in corners, but the opposite was true. My tires cornered better and rolled more smoothly on rough roads.
I was even able to run my 650B × 50 mm tires at 15 psi. Normally, that pressure would be unusable at this width, but on the front, it was predictable and cornered confidently without noticeable roll.
The rear tire occasionally showed signs of too-low pressure at 15 psi, particularly during fast cornering, but the effect was mild, and in any case, you don’t really need such low pressure at the back.
Interestingly, my front-end measurements at 15 psi showed no real comfort gain on fast gravel compared to 20 psi. On the bumpy forest trail, however, vibration was reduced by a notable 5.3%.
After all my testing, I’ve found that 15 psi front and 18 psi rear is the sweet spot for my 650B × 50 mm setup with Cushcore, at least for my body weight and the Panaracer GravelKing SK tires.
But I can’t help but wonder if I can achieve even better comfort when using a more supple 650B tire like the Soma Cazadero. Perhaps, I’ll have to find out…
Is Cushcore A Must-Have for Gravel Riding?
If you’ve already experimented with low tire pressures and enjoy the added comfort, Cushcore inserts are an excellent upgrade. They make riding at low pressures more comfortable, predictable, and enjoyable.
However, if you typically run higher tire pressures, the benefits of Cushcore will be much harder to notice, and the added weight, cost, and effort may not be worth it. The 650B Cushcore inserts add roughly 140 g per wheel.
At €150, Cushcore might seem pricey for what is essentially foam. Yet it’s a surprisingly affordable way to boost comfort—especially when compared to a Lauf Grit SL suspension fork (€990) or an Ergon Allroad Pro seatpost (€250).
It becomes an even better value when you consider that, unlike a fork or seatpost, Cushcore adds comfort to both the front and rear of your bike.
You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing Cushcore Tire Inserts on Amazon. Simply click HERE to make your purchase, and a small commission will come our way.
