Today, Pirelli Cycling is introducing a completely redesigned Scorpion gravity range of tires, covering everything from trail riding to downhill racing. The new lineup includes three all-new tread patterns: Black Sting, Emperor, and Red Claw, and a significant expansion of casing and compound combinations. Along with a revised naming system, this should make it easier for riders to find the tire setup that best suits their riding style, terrain, and preferences.
According to Pirelli, the new treads and simplified naming of its Scorpion range make choosing the ideal tires a three-step process. First, choose your tread pattern, each of which is represented by a different scorpion species. Next, choose your casing construction based on the level of support and protection your riding style and terrain demands. Lastly, select your rubber compound to find the ideal balance of grip, efficiency, and durability to suit your needs.
New Tread Patterns
Pirelli says its new Scorpion range was developed specifically for gravity riding with input from its pro riders, including 3x World Champion DH racer Fabien Barel. The lineup includes three all-new tread patterns designed for hardpack, mixed, and loose conditions. Each model has a scorpion-inspired name directly associating the scorpion’s environment with the conditions for which the tire is intended.
Black Sting
Pirelli says this tread was inspired by the lethal and lightning-fast Black Sting scorpions that inhabit deserts and arid environments. This is the brand’s new pattern for hardpack and/or rocky, dry conditions. It has been designed for riders seeking a fast-rolling tire that prioritizes speed without sacrificing control, and features low-profile, closely packed center and intermediate knobs, along with reinforced shoulder knobs.
“Fast-rolling and responsive, this all-new tread pattern has been developed for riders looking for speed, precision, and responsiveness. Its new design combines low rolling resistance with controlled braking performance, making it particularly suited to hardpack and firm, compact terrain, where stability under high loads and at high speed is essential. Its riding character is solid, direct, and responsive.”
The Scorpion Black Sting comes in 29” and 27.5” diameters in 2.4” and 2.6” widths. Pirelli recommends it for use as a front and rear set for fast-paced trail riding, or as a rear tire paired with the Scorpion Emperor in the front.
Emperor
Named for the Emperor scorpion, which is “known for thriving across diverse environments,” Pirelli says the Emperor tread is the “true all-rounder,” and most versatile in the range. Building on the former Race M tread, it features medium-spaced knobs with a balanced pattern between the center and shoulders. It aims to balance rolling efficiency and predictable grip in mixed conditions and on variable surfaces.
“Designed to perform across mixed terrain and changing trail conditions, it delivers an outstanding balance of traction, control and rolling efficiency. Its riding character is balanced, predictable and versatile, making it the ideal choice for riders looking for one tyre that performs across a broad range of conditions.”
The Scorpion Emperor is available in 29” and 27.5” diameters in 2.4”, 2.5”, and 2.6” widths, depending on the casing. Pirelli suggests using the Emperor as a front tire and pairing it with the fast-rolling Black Sting for efficiency, as a rear tire with the aggressive Red Claw up front, or running it front and rear for a balanced all-conditions setup.
Red Claw
Inspired by Red Claw scorpions that live in humid, tropical environments, this tread has been designed to provide traction in soft, loose, and unstable conditions. Based on the brand’s former Race T tread pattern, the combination of widely spaced knobs and sharp edges is meant to bite deep into soft conditions and self-clean while remaining stable, supportive, and delivering traction while cornering or under braking.
“Its tread pattern is widely spaced, featuring sharp-edged, broken-line knobs designed to penetrate deep into loose ground and self-clean at every rotation. Each knob is shaped to bite efficiently into the terrain, maintaining consistent control even in wet, light mud, or unpredictable conditions.”
The Scorpion Red Claw is available in 27.5” and 29” x 2.4” as well as 29” x 2.5”. Designed as an aggressive front tire, Pirelli suggests pairing it with the Scorpion Emperor in the rear or running a complete set when conditions are super loose and unpredictable.
Casing Constructions
Pirelli states that its new platform is an evolution of its four casing constructions, all of which are now eMTB-ready. The lineup provides casing options to meet the support and protection demands of trail, all-mountain, enduro, and downhill riders on analog and electric mountain bikes alike.
- ProWALL “is the lightest casing in the range to feature sidewall protection, with weights under 1,100 g. It is designed for riders looking for responsiveness and climbing efficiency, while maintaining a smooth, precise ride without compromising reliability and confidence on the descents.” The ProWALL casing offers lightweight protection for trail to light enduro riding with single-ply 60 tpi construction and sidewall reinforcement
- HardWALL “provides full structural support together with additional reinforcement that helps reduce the risk of pinch flats from hard rim strikes. Weighing between 1,100 and 1,200 g, it has been developed to offer greater stability and impact resistance than ProWALL, while remaining efficient to pedal and responsive even in demanding terrain.” The HardWALL casing offers enhanced support and protection for aggressive trail and enduro riding with a single-ply 60 tpi construction and bead-to-bead reinforcement.
- DualWALL “is designed for more aggressive riding, including enduro racing, bike-park riding and freeride, with weights ranging from 1,200 to 1,300 g. Built around a dual- ply construction, it has been engineered to maximise stability, protection and durability in the toughest gravity applications.” The DualWall casing steps up to a dual-ply 120 tpi construction with bead-to-bead reinforcement to add stability and protection for enduro racing and/or bike park use.
- DH+ WALL “represents the highest level of protection in the range and is the casing of choice for top-level Downhill racing, with weights ranging from 1,300 to over 1,400 g. It also features a dual-ply construction, but uses even tougher base fabrics than DualWALL, together with additional sidewall and bead reinforcement, engineered to withstand the biggest hits and highest loads of elite DH racing.” DH+WALL uses a dual-ply 60tpi construction and bead-to-bead reinforcement to meet the support, durability, and protection demands of elite-level DH racers.
Compounds
Pirelli’s new Scorpion lineup is available in three rubber compounds with naming that carries over from Pirelli’s motorsport heritage and aligns more closely with other brands in the bike industry. Now offered in Medium, Soft, and Supersoft compounds, and identified by the color codes of yellow, red, and purple, respectively, it should be much easier to recognize and choose the compound that’s right for you.
- MEDIUM delivers the ideal balance of grip, comfort, and durability, making it a strong choice for riders looking for predictable, long-lasting performance.
- SOFT has been developed to provide intuitive handling and consistent grip in both dry and wet conditions, without compromising durability. Designed for aggressive riding, it delivers downhill-ready performance while maintaining excellent control and longevity, even under intensive use.
- SUPERSOFT is the compound engineered for the most demanding conditions, offering the highest levels of grip together with outstanding vibration damping and impact absorption. It provides highly intuitive and confidence-inspiring feedback, allowing experienced riders to push right to the limit. It delivers maximum grip, both in dry and wet conditions, while also offering the highest level of damping. Although ideally suited to front-wheel use, it is equally effective on the rear for racing applications and on particularly technical and demanding terrain.
More Combinations
Lastly, the new Scorpion range is available in a wider range of casing and compound combinations than before. The expanded options should mean that most riders can find the tire setup that suits their performance needs, while the simplified and more intuitive naming should make it easier to do so. Additionally, all of the new tires are available with yellow or silver hotpatches.
Availability
Pirelli’s new Scorpion gravity tire range officially launches today and is available now. Head to the Pirelli website to see the full range of sizes, available configurations, and tech specs, purchase some fresh tires, or find a dealer near you.
