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why do bushings harden as they break in?
Compression? Urethane will harden overtime and the majority of the hardening takes place in the first six months.
So it's all about the compression? I bought two sets of Indy 92A blue cylinder bushings two or three months ago. Mounted one set, thought they were too soft but rode them for a few sessions, shelved them. Put them on again a month or so later, perfect! If anything, a bit too hard now. Thought I was tripping. Mounted the other set on my second setup today. Again, feels too soft. The difference between the ones I have been riding for a few weeks now and the fresh ones is night and day. If it was hardening over time, wouldn't the set I had lying around since I bought them also have hardened a bit?
I feel like many used bushings that have not been used for a while end up feeling a lot harder than others of the same age if still new in package.
This is most likely the case for you as well. Some older well used bushings of various brands have almost seemed too hard now, but as said, urethane ages and hardens up some, so bushings just like wheels harden up and yellow under various lighting, even if still in the package, the only difference being bushings are usually various colours, so you don't notice anywhere near as much as white / natural coloured wheels.
I bought some barely used forged hollows and the dude didnt know they were ti's. I kinda don't like how light they are, would never buy, but they prob weigh what a Thunder Team Hollow does and those don't feel "too light"
The axle metal is a bit more blue tinged if titanium, but the best way to check is with a magnet, as titanium is not magnetic, but steel is.
That worked on a set of titanium Indy and Thunder I had floating round.
* just the axles, not the hanger, that is.