Scorpion Race DH and EN are born from the collaboration between Pirelli and a star of the specialty Downhill: the French Fabien Barel, three times world champion and seven times national champion of DH. His experience, riding sensitivity and technical expertise, combined with Pirelli know-how, have led to the definition of a complete range of gravity rides to meet the needs of any high-level team or athlete.
Source: press release
The new range, available in early 2023, is the culmination of a nearly two-year design, prototyping, testing, feedback and field validation process. The result is a capillary range of products capable of enhancing the performance of modern DH bikes and satisfying the most sophisticated needs of athletes and racing teams. Downhill and Enduro, as well as more advanced amateurs, competing in DH or EN races.
Already tested by Pirelli testers and competed by Pirelli-sponsored athletes on the EWS (Enduro World Series) and UCI WORLD CUP DH circuits from 2021, the new Scorpion Race DH and EN tires feature four new tread designs, two new carcass types and a new compound specifically designed for racing use.
AT THE HEART IS THE COMPOUND SMARTEVO DH
SmartEVO DH was developed thanks to the experience of Pirelli's Motorsport compounds department, considering the specific applications of gravity racing. Unlike SmartGRIP, which was created for all-round use with more balanced properties, this new compound is designed to deliver high performance in competition. Designed to give a feeling of full control of the bike even in extreme conditions, it provides high chemical grip and adequate mechanical support at high speeds. Both static and dynamic parameters have been adjusted to increase safety and the feeling of control under braking and leaning, considering predictability and limit management as key development parameters: the perception and exceeding of the grip limit and the ability to control the drift are as important as absolute grip,
SmartEVO DH is the result of the combination of two layers of compounds: a single high-performance super soft compound (42 Shore A *) for the entire outer tread, which has the task of providing chemical grip in a wide range of temperatures and absorb vibrations at high frequencies and a support compound under the tread, which has the task of providing mechanical support to the blocks and absorb the most significant impacts. The two compounds work seamlessly together, contributing decisively to giving the rider a feeling of great handling, responsiveness and control, which is the main objective of the Pirelli engineers. All this without forgetting the low rolling resistance: a key factor when racing against the clock, especially in the World Cup where you win or lose by tenths of a second.
FOUR DIFFERENT TREADS
As is typical of all Pirelli Scorpion MTB tyres, the new Race tires take into account the type of terrain. M, T, S and MUD are the four specific tread designs, developed to cope with any type of condition that may be encountered in the race, be it Downhill or Enduro.
The M (Mixed Terrain) tread is the most versatile in the range. Its design is perfect for mixed terrain, from bike parks to the most difficult routes to the most treacherous sections of the undergrowth. Oriented towards all-round performance, it features evenly distributed blocks with dimensions and heights designed to generate a great driving feel in a wide range of conditions.
The T (Traction) tread pattern offers greater mechanical grip in all situations where the tread block has to penetrate the ground and has a high and reinforced surface surface both when braking and when cornering. The blocks are more spaced and aggressive, and have a central band designed to be cut. In fact, when the ground conditions are intermediate or it is necessary to evacuate the mud more quickly, it is possible to cut the central block and thus make the tire more directional and optimize its behavior for softer terrain. A unique feature for this type of tire.
These are technical characteristics that derive from the intense testing activities of the official Pirelli teams, including Canyon CLLCTV Pirelli DH and Italian Rogue Racing.
The S (Soft Terrain) tread pattern, on the other hand, is designed for soft and yielding soils - sandy and clayey bottoms, loose soils and undergrowth - but is still able to cope with more compact sections such as roots and rocks. It is characterized by taller and widely spaced blocks.
The uncompromising MUD tread pattern specific to the Scorpion Race DH features high and widely spaced lugs, also designed to be cut as needed and based on the type of mud and track. Developed for specific downhill use, Scorpion Race DH MUD is only available in size 2.4, the most suitable for generating grip and control in extreme mud conditions.
A BODYWORK FOR EVERY DISCIPLINE
In designing the structures of the new tires, Pirelli considered, in addition to the terrain, many other variables highlighted by the Barel tests: from the increasingly performing bikes to the driving style of the riders, to the latest evolutions in terms of wheels and rim sizes, to the peculiar differences that characterize the EN and DH disciplines. This gave rise to DualWall + and DualWall.
DualWall + is the specific casing for DH and Enduro Racing. It is a 60 tpi double layer rigid carcass with a flat anti-pinch rubber insert and an outer fabric layer to stabilize the sidewall of the tire. Ideal for athletes with an aggressive driving style, it is designed to offer superior protection against cuts and punctures, maximum stability at high speeds and absorb vibrations and large impacts.
Specifically designed for Enduro racing and / or lighter riders in general, the DualWall carcass is a race-ready carcass devoted more to softness and driveability. Composed of a double layer of 120 tpi, also reinforced with a rubber insert like the DH one, it saves about 150 g of weight compared to the DualWall + and offers greater softness and smoothness. It is the choice of Enduro riders looking for maximum sensitivity on the ground without sacrificing the reliability typical of a double-layer construction. Also field tested with Dainese Canyon CLLCTV athletes and Theory Racing team, who took them to competitions and overcame the tough terrain and conditions of the EWS with excellent performance.
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