Pirelli has launched the Scorpion XC RH, a mountain bike tire, manufactured at its Milan-Bollate plant, Italy, with FSC-certified natural rubber.
The Scorpion XC Racing Hardpack (RH) completes Pirelli’s Cross Country premium range, joining the RC and M models.
Designed for cross-country competitions, where top speed is just as vital as bike control, the RH prioritizes rolling efficiency. Optimized for predominantly compact terrain, it offers reliable grip and handling when cornering on mixed surfaces.
Under Pirelli’s prototype label, the RH has been used by partner teams. The Alpecin-Deceuninck, Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC, BMC Factory Racing and Klimatiza Orbea teams have tested the tire in various races, ranging from the Les Gets World Cup to the World Championships in Valais and Crans-Montana.
Despite the little time to test them, Samuele Porro (Klimatiza Orbea) decided to run the Scorpion XC RH tires front and rear in the XMC race at the 2025 Marathon World Championships, eventually finishing as Vice World Champion.
Race compound, special tread design
The RH’s tread features a wide, compact central band with closely spaced, low-profile knobs, delivering high rolling efficiency while absorbing vibrations and maintaining grip on the terrain. The aggressive shoulder knobs, directly inherited from the Scorpion XC RC model, provide high cornering traction. The differentiated tread profile across the center, transition and shoulder zones maximizes straight-line efficiency while giving riders full confidence during fast, technical turns.
The Scorpion XC RH features the new Race XC compound, a formulation optimized for the RH model to meet the project’s core objectives: maximum speed and precise stability. It was carefully calibrated by Pirelli technicians who work on compounds, from motorsport to cycling, combining ultra-fast rolling performance with good chemical grip to deliver, beyond the limit.
Internal lab testing has shown that the Scorpion XC RH is the fastest model of Pirelli’s entire Made in Italy XC range, and that it is more than 40% faster than the old RC model.
Lite and Prowell casings
The RH tires are available with two high-performance casing options: the classic LITE and the redesigned ProWALL. The ProWALL features a new fabric layout – still 120 TPI Nylon – with reinforced sidewalls for maximum protection and stability.
In related news, Falken’s latest Euroall Season tire uses Vario Core technology
