What’s that yellow drive-around thingy? It’s always a Cub Cadet. Their bestselling rear riding mower, the Cub Cadet CC 30 is once again back in circulation. It seems towards the end of the last year, this particular model was removed from stock in all stores and the reason being that Cub Cadet unlike other manufacturers does not mindlessly make machines. They work with a limited quota. And after running out of stock, the Cub Cadet Factory begins producing their most demanded products again and again. And the CC30 model is thankfully one of them. 2015 starts with plenty of this rear rider in stock and the Cub Cadet CC 30 is once more among the top picks on all lawn and garden websites. One disclaimer before I begin diving into the nitty-gritty of my review – the Cub Cadet is probably one of the most expensive rear engine mowers on the market, but it is well worth every penny spent. And, with a price below $2000 it is still a very cheap riding mower.
Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro Series Kohler Hydrostatic Gas Front-Engine Riding Mower (Lt 42 In. 18 Hp)
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Product Info:
- Riding Lawn Mowers
- Rear Engine Rider
- 11.5HP, 420cc, OHV 6-speed engine
- Non CARB-Compliant
Features:
- 30 inch cutting deck
- Electric start
- Telescoping steering
- 5 cutting height positions from 1.5 in. – 4 in.
- 18 in. turning radius
- Weight: 340 lbs
- 3-years warranty
In-Depth Review of the Cub Cadet Cc 30 Rear Rider
Ease Of Use
Easy to drive, the Cub Cadet CC 30 operates on a 6 speed transmission driven by a sturdy twin heavy-duty drive belt system. With quick response steering, this mower makes driving forward and backward rather simple and best of all, you don’t need any prior experience with riding mowers. Forward mowing speed of 4.25mph and reverse mowing speed of 4.25mph makes this little rider one of the fastest in the market.
Beware though, this Cub Cadet riding mower isn’t a nimble machine. It won’t offer a compact turning radius, but for its price it does a decent job mowing your yard. At around 18 inches of turning radius, if your lawn is long and straight with limited necessity of U-turns, it will suffice. Also remember, this is not a speedster, it is at best a decent free moving mower that goes faster than a conventional walk behind mower.
Cut Quality
Going uphill isn’t difficult, but don’t try your luck with anything over 15 degree inclination. As for wet grass, the rear rider does suffer a bit with its low powered engine so best to use it on dry yards. While I did not find any difference mowing tougher strains of grass, I advise against this riding mower if all you have is one particular type of grass in your lawn and it is of the tougher variant.
Height Adjustment
You get a total of 5 height adjustment positions and a single lever adjacent to the seat to make the changes. While I like seeing more than 7 height adjustment positions, 5 is fine as long as you don’t make a habit of skipping out on weekly mowing. Just be careful trying to change the height lever position as it can bend under the strain if you try it with the mower running.
Motor Power
Maintenance
Probably the only area where this Cub Cadet falls short of the competition. The entire body is made from plastic and with every tiny bump you can literally feel the plastic bending in places. Unfortunately, availability of plastic spare parts for this machine at the moment are scarce so be careful riding over bumps and obstacles. As for warranty, it has a long 3 year cover on everything so your only real concern is if Cub Cadet has the replacement parts in stock.
Cost Effectiveness
- Can mow forward and backwards
- Easy to drive
- Sufficient height positions
- Plastic Body Parts
- Not suitable for stronger grass types
