Saucony Ride 19 vs ASICS Gel-Cumulus 28 — Spec Comparison
On every published number these two are the same shoe: 4 g apart, half a millimetre apart at both ends, the same 8 mm drop, and five cents apart at retail. If you are choosing between them on the spec sheet, the spec sheet cannot help you.
On this page
That is the honest answer, and it is worth more than a manufactured winner. What actually separates two shoes this close is foam behaviour under load, last shape and upper hold — none of which either brand publishes, and none of which we have measured yet.
This is a spec comparison. We have not measured, worn or scored either shoe. No Orthotic Volume Rating, no toe-box figure, no durability finding — those come off the bench. This page is replaced when both shoes have been tested.
The numbers, side by side
| Specification | Saucony Ride 19 | ASICS Gel-Cumulus 28 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (men’s sample) | 255 g | 259 g | Doctors of Running; ASICS |
| Heel stack | 38 mm | 37.5 mm | Doctors of Running / Running Warehouse; Marathon Sports |
| Forefoot stack | 30 mm | 29.5 mm | Doctors of Running / Running Warehouse; Marathon Sports |
| Heel-to-toe drop | 8 mm | 8 mm | Manufacturer |
| MSRP | $144.95 | $145 | Manufacturer |
| Internal toe-box width | Not measured | Not measured | — |
| Orthotic Volume Rating | Not measured | Not measured | — |
| Torsional rigidity | Not measured | Not measured | — |
What a foot and ankle surgeon takes from this
Half a millimetre of stack is not a real difference. It is inside the tolerance of how different sources measure the same shoe, and it is far inside the change a new insole or three hundred miles of wear will produce. Four grams is roughly the weight of a shoelace. Treat these two as dimensionally identical and stop comparing the table.
Both run an 8 mm drop. That is the traditional middle of the market and it is the reason both are marketed as everyday trainers: enough heel lift to keep the Achilles and calf comfortable for someone who is not used to a low drop, without the forward pitch of a 4 mm shoe. If you have a history of Achilles tendinopathy or a tight calf, an 8 mm drop is the safer of the common options — and that applies equally to both shoes here.
So the decision is not dimensional. It comes down to three things the spec sheet never carries: how the foam behaves under your body weight at your cadence, whether the last shape suits your forefoot, and whether the heel counter holds you. A heavier runner can bottom out a soft foam that feels perfect on a lighter one; the same shoe is then a different shoe. Neither brand publishes foam durometer, and we have not measured either.
The practical advice: try both, in the afternoon, in the socks you actually run in, and buy the one your forefoot prefers. When two shoes are this close on paper, fit is the entire decision, and fit is individual. Anyone telling you one of these is decisively better than the other, from the published numbers alone, is guessing.
Which one is worth trying first
Start with the Ride 19 if…
- You have got on with Saucony’s last before — brand fit consistency is a better predictor than any number here.
- You want the marginally taller heel, though 0.5 mm is not something you will feel.
Start with the Cumulus 28 if…
- ASICS uppers have suited your foot shape before.
- You want the wider size range ASICS typically offers, which matters more than any figure in the table if you need a wide.
What we cannot tell you until we test them
- Internal toe-box width and depth. The measurement most likely to actually separate these two, and neither brand publishes it.
- Orthotic Volume Rating. Whether either accepts a custom device without lifting your heel.
- Foam behaviour under load. The real difference between two shoes with identical stacks.
- Torsional rigidity and heel-counter stiffness.
- Durability. Both need logged miles before we say anything.
Where to buy
Amazon affiliate link. We earn a commission at no extra cost to you; commissions never influence a score, a ranking or the seal. Price and availability change, so check the listing.
Saucony Ride 19
Women’s:
ASICS Gel-Cumulus 28
Women’s:
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