Pirelli simply dropped what is likely to be its quickest mountain bike tire but — the Scorpion XC RH (Racing Hardpack). Designed for contemporary cross-country race situations the place velocity is every little thing, however, because the tagline says, “energy is nothing with out management”. This Italian-made tire is constructed for effectivity, precision, and management on hardpack terrain. Oh, and it’s over 40% quicker than the previous-generation RC.
Made totally at Pirelli’s Milan–Bollate facility utilizing FSC-certified pure rubber, the Scorpion XC RH rounds out the model’s top-tier XC lineup alongside the Scorpion XC RC and XC M.
And this one isn’t simply one other lab challenge. It’s already been below the quickest legs within the sport; riders from Alpecin–Deceuninck, Trek Manufacturing facility Racing–Pirelli XC, BMC Manufacturing facility Racing, and Klimatiza Orbea have been testing all of it season. The truth is, Samuele Porro raced it straight to silver on the 2025 Marathon World Championships in Valais, Switzerland.
Constructed for Hardpack Velocity
The brand new RH tread sample is pure race engineering. A large, tightly packed central band of low-profile knobs minimizes rolling resistance whereas smoothing out vibrations. Transferring outward, the shoulder lugs, borrowed straight from the Scorpion XC RC, ship the sort of cornering traction you normally lose with ultra-fast tires.
The result’s a tire that rolls like a highway slick however nonetheless bites once you lean it over via dusty, unfastened corners. Pirelli calls it their most effective XC tread ever, and inner testing claims it’s over 40% quicker than the previous-generation RC.
Race Compound
On the coronary heart of the brand new Scorpion XC RH is Pirelli’s up to date Race XC compound, the model’s quickest off-road rubber thus far. The Race XC compound is developed by the identical engineers who created the MotoGP and World Rally compounds. This new formulation strikes that unattainable steadiness between chemical grip and straight-line velocity.
The RH’s compound was tuned explicitly for compact terrain and high-intensity racing. Mixing ultra-low rolling resistance with secure cornering at max effort wanted to squeeze out each ounce of velocity. Pirelli says it’s inside the firm’s prime percentile for velocity, however nonetheless maintains that essential chew for combined surfaces.
Casing Choices: Lite or ProWALL
Like its siblings, the RH is available in two constructions:
LITE – the lightest possibility for pure race-day setups.
ProWALL – redesigned with a bolstered 120 TPI nylon layer and improved sidewall construction for added stability and puncture safety.
Each casings are tubeless-ready and optimized for 29 x 2.4” setups. Riders can select between normal graphics or the Workforce Version, the identical model utilized by Pirelli’s World Cup athletes.
Out there now in 29×2.4”, Lite or ProWALL casings, from Pirelli retailers and on-line.
Search for a evaluate arising when our samples arrive!
