Famous for their Formula One and supercar tyres, Pirelli has transferred that tech to the trails and road with a podium-winning range of bicycle tyres. In this guide, we’ll take you through some of the highlights in the Pirelli mountain bike and road bike tyre collection.
Let’s take a closer look at their mountain bike tyre range.
Pirelli Mountain Bike Tyres
The Pirelli team started with a view to offering a comfortable ride, better grip in the corners and improved rolling resistance. The Scorpion range has been designed following years of research and testing with pro riders and teams on the World Cup and Enduro World Series circuit. 2019 saw the launch of the Scorpion range of Pirelli Mountain bike tyres and Chain Reaction got the chance to attend the launch. Head of global marketing at Pirelli, Samuele Bressan, had this to say:
Pirelli’s Scorpion Mountain Bike Tyre Range
The Pirelli Scorpion MTB range was created using the company’s experience and know-how in the world of off-road competition, including rally and motocross. The shape of the tyre knobs, for example, was based on the experience and technology behind the Scorpion™ MX, which has been used on every motocross and supercross race circuit in the world, winning more than 65 world titles.
There are four main categories in the Pirelli mountain bike tyre range:
Scorpion Enduro
Scorpion™ Enduro has been designed for racers needing ultimate grip and a stable tyre structure. The HardWALL technology pairs with SmartGRIP Compound in a tyre that always perform at the top level in every weather condition.
Scorpion XC
Scorpion™ XC has been designed to offer high speed and grip performances in cross-country competitions. Lightweight tyres that come both in LITE and ProWALL version to offer the best rolling efficiency and control in every weather condition.
Scorpion EMTB
Scorpion™ E-MTB offers durability, puncture protection and battery saving. All of this has been achieved working on the new patented structure HyperWALL™ and the new rubber formulation SmartGRIP+ Compound.
Scorpion Trail
Scorpion™ Trail has been designed for those who want uncompromised performances on the trails with the ProWALL technology and the exceptional chemical grip offered by the SmartGRIP Compound formulation in every weather condition.
Key Features
Hyper Wall
A newly designed patented construction that increases even further handling and pinch flat resistance.Key in off-road applications, especially in the most demanding ones such as gravity and eMTB, the integrity of the bead area and the stability of the sidewalls are a founding pillar for the overall tyre performance
SmartGRIP Compound
Decades of Motorsport success brought Pirelli’s engineers to the development of an innovative rubber: the SmartGRIP Compound, putting together two opposite characteristics:
– tear resistance for the best mechanical grip on dry surfaces, together with maximum puncture protection
– chemical grip on wet surfaces so that you don’t have to worry about rain and the muddy or slippery section of the trail
“We wanted to offer a tyre that had more grip, without compromising rolling resistance or comfort.” – Samuele Bressan, Head of Global Marketing, MTB
Pirelli Road Bike Tyres
Pirelli road tyres are prepared to take on whatever you meet on the tarmac. Great Britain’s Lizzie Deignan dominated the inaugural Women’s Paris-Roubaix on a pair of Pirelli P-Zero Race TLR Road Tyres, proving that they’re ready to take on the worst road conditions in the world!
Pirelli’s road tyres ensure consistent and even performance, with the range featuring a smartnet silica compound and a durable armour tech nylon bead-to-bead layer that protects them from wear and tear and unrivalled puncture prevention.
Pirelli Gravel Bike Tyres
Explore new paths, cycle faster and safer on any surface with Pirelli Cinturato™ for Gravel. Featuring two different tyre types, dependant on the gravel adventure you’re gearing up for.
Hard Terrain
Perfect for compact, rocky terrain, this tyre features a low tread, perfect for riding at high speeds with a great sense of safety on all compact terrain, be it dry or wet.
Mixed Terrain
This tough and durable gravel bike tyre is ideal for the modern mixed-terrain rider, featuring a blocky tread and a SpeedGrip compound to roll you through every race with reliability and support.
