MTB Tyre Review: Pirelli Scorpion Mixed Terrain
For the first time in a decade, I moved away from Maxxis tyres to try something else on my daily hardtail – I had a new set of wheels on their way to me and the rubber on my outgoing set of hoops was very, very tired….
The second big change for me (look at me go!) was running identical tyres front and rear. Same tread, same profile, same compound – rather than the super aggressive front/ semi slick rear combo that worked so well for me riding and racing in various parts of the world. Yes, I am aware there is a rear-specific version of the Scorpion available, but the state of global affairs made them unavailable when I needed new rubber.
My exact tyre of choice was the Scorpion M (mixed terrain) 29×2.6. I went with the HardWall version with bead to bead puncture protection.
• Versatility stops it excelling at anything in particular
Initial Setup was incredibly easy. They mounted to my RaceFace Turbine rims without levers. I put 125ml of sealant in each, and they seated + sealed first time. Haven’t dropped any air since. The tread patterns don’t have any ‘twist’ in them. The beads don’t have any hops in them. The quality of the tyre is visible and tangible the moment they unfold out of the packaging.
The moment I sat on the bike I was suddenly missing the tall, square, aggressive side knobs I was so used to seeing on the front of my bike – the Scorpions cut a much rounder profile on a 30mm wide rim. It didn’t take long to recalibrate though, the lack of “visible” cornering grip doesn’t really equal a lack of actual grip, but I did discover that the handling balance of the bike was quite different now, the centre of traction moved rearward from my front contact patch closer to the middle of the bike.
The tough carcass of the HardWall version makes its presence known by being quite harsh across trail chatter that I’d not really noticed before, even on a hardtail. It had me wanting to soften up the fork and the rear tyre.
I ride a Merida Big Trail with a DVO Diamond set at 150mm travel up front – I love how easy it is to rip corners, bounce out of corner exits and dive straight into the next one, all while the rear tyre rolls over onto its edge, breaks free, hooks up, and is ready to go the other way almost instantly. This is how I’ve ridden the bike, on it’s previous tyres, the whole time I’ve had it.
The Scorpions do not lack traction, but on my bike, under my feet, riding my trails, I had to make pretty big adjustments to body position and weight distribution, making an effort to stay heavy on my hands to ensure that the inevitable slide started at the back tyre.
When they DO let go, the breakaway is predictable and controllable, even if the front washes first. The resulting drop in speed invariably brings the offending wheel back into line, and all is well again.
Whilst playing with the front-rear handling balance I tried some pretty extreme tyre pressures – as low as 15PSI on the front. The unexpected consequence of trying super low pressures was discovering that the tyre is amazingly stable and supportive even when “too soft”. I suppose a strong, supportive tyre (when under-inflated) must go hand in hand with a ride that is harsher than expected.
Having noted that the tyres feel over-damped, it hasn’t stopped me going out and riding 50-60km of limestone logging roads (read: rough and bumpy) without any real discomfort. In fact, it’s these longer rides that highlighted just how well the Scorpions roll. They roll faster and cost fewer watts to maintain a given speed than other tyres I’ve used in the same profile. I even got a couple of PR’s on some fast, flowy trail segments that I haven’t ridden for YEARS – that’s quite an achievement for these tyres given how often I used to ride those trails.
They’re extremely durable and well suited to my heavy handed style of riding, easy to setup and trustworthy in all but the slickest or muddiest conditions.
