First test report on the Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M – The grip of change?
The days when only a handful of manufacturers shared the MTB tire market are long gone. The Italian tire giant Pirelli also wants a piece of the cake and is working hard to expand its MTB portfolio. We put the flagship Pirelli Scorpion Enduro Race M model to the test to find out what it’s capable of.
MAXXIS, Continental, Michelin, Goodyear… The list of tire manufacturers who are also trying their luck in the mountain bike segment is getting longer and Pirelli also wants a piece of the cake. To gain a foothold, the Italian tire giant also sponsors several racing teams in the UCI Downhill and Enduro World Cups. The flagship in Pirelli’s enduro tire portfolio is the Scorpion Race Enduro M, which is a true all-rounder designed to deliver solid performance on a variety of terrain, from hard bike park tracks to loose natural clay, giving you tremendous driving performance and plenty of grip regardless of the terrain the conditions. What makes it even more of an all-rounder is the fact that it can be used for both the front and rear wheels. However, the Scorpion Race Enduro M is only available in two versions: 29″ and 27.5″, both 2.5″ wide. If you want to roll on Italian rubber, you have to shell out €89.90 per tire.
To ensure maximum traction, Pirelli has divided the tread pattern into three sections. The middle lugs are relatively wide and arranged in pairs, with transition lugs ensuring a smooth transition from the middle tread to the shoulder lugs. In addition, the transition knobs are intended to support the side knobs in curves and thus ensure more predictable driving behavior. The side flaps are all identical, both in size and shape. What’s particularly noticeable is that the shoulder buttons are exceptionally high and are almost at the same height as the center buttons. The double-layer DualWall carcass with 120 tpi was developed specifically for enduro use and is intended to offer a good compromise between puncture resistance and driving experience. In the bead area, the most sensitive part of the tire, Pirelli used an additional layer to improve puncture protection. Even though the dual-layer casing may not be the lightest on the market, the Scorpion Race Enduro M is in the middle of the range of robust enduro tires in terms of weight, with the 29-inch model tipping the scales at 1,260 g. Of course, for maximum grip you need a soft rubber compound! Pirelli uses its SmartEVO DH compound, which feels incredibly soft and should therefore provide plenty of traction for aggressive riders.
We had the opportunity to test the Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M tire for several weeks and on all sorts of terrain, from our loamy, root-strewn home trails to fast downhill trails and bike park trails – basically anything a what makes a good enduro bike – round tires should be able to handle it. We mounted the tires on Stans Flow MK4 alloy wheels, which have a pressure of 1.55 bar at the front and 1.7 bar at the rear. When climbing asphalt and forest roads, you quickly notice that the Scorpion is not a KOM chaser. On climbs it feels rather sluggish and produces quite a loud noise, which is completely normal for a gravity-oriented tire with a soft rubber compound. However, the strong rolling resistance is also noticeable when descending the trail. In short: The Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M doesn’t roll quickly and doesn’t accelerate willingly. However, once you get it up to speed, you’ll enjoy the wide border zone between grip and slide. When cornering, the Pirelli Scorpion is incredibly responsive, following the contours of the trail as you lean into corners without swerving unexpectedly. And if you get a little too excited, the predictable breaking point gives you the ability to adjust your line, with the aggressive tread pattern and soft rubber compound ensuring plenty of grip whether you’re riding flowing trails or tackling challenging highlines with lots of roots .
The Pirelli Scorpion Race Enduro M is pretty good, but not perfect. It produces excellent traction and cornering grip with a predictable breakaway point and a wide boundary zone between grip and slide. It generates plenty of traction even on technical trails with unpleasant root carpets and clearly shows you when it’s about to break out. Unfortunately, the braking traction is inadequate, which can quickly lead to tricky situations on steep or fast trails – Pirelli urgently needs to improve this!
Tops
- Wide range of applications
- Excellent cornering traction
- Good grip on roots and technical trails
Flops
- High rolling resistance
- Very poor braking traction
- Poor cushioning properties
Tester: Felix
Test duration: 1 month
Price: €89.90
Weight: 1,260 g (manufacturer’s information)
Manufacturer’s website
For more information, see Pirelli.com
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Words: Felix Rauch Photos: Peter Walker
