As if flying up and down boulder-strewn mountainsides in spandex shorts wasn’t stressful enough on your body and your skinny bicycle tires, add electric assist and, well, your old bike tires aren’t up to it anymore. Enter Pirelli with some new high-tech rubber.
——————————————————————————————————Pirelli Press Release:
PIRELLI PRESENTS SCORPION E-MTB
THE E-MOUNTAINBIKE TIRE WHICH COMBINES RESISTANCE,
SUSTAINABILITY AND LIGHTWEIGHT
Pirelli launches Scorpion E-MTB, a new product family of tires dedicated to electric mountain bikes. Robust, durable, aggressive, they promise maximum performance to support the hard workloads of the latest generation e-mtbs. The SmartGRIP+ compound enhanced by Lignin offers top performances as well as attention to the environment.
(July 6, 2020) – Pirelli expands its presence into the e-off road world and presents Scorpion E-MTB, its first line of tires dedicated to electric mountain bikes.
The characterizing concept of the new product line is the proposal of a series of models tailored to the needs of this type of bike, where the assistance of the engine subjects the tires to stress that is higher on average than traditional MTB tires.
With over 120 years of experience in the production of products dedicated to motorized vehicles, Pirelli put all of its expertise and the wealth of patents and solutions developed over time into this new E-MTB range. It does this by taking into consideration one of its key values: sustainability, which is also the basis for the return of the company in the world of cycling.
The new Scorpion E-MTB tires are Tubeless Ready, which are aimed at e-riders who are also lovers of the Trail and Enduro disciplines. In short, the new E-MTB tires incorporate all the concepts already introduced in the other Scorpion MTB tire lines (XC, Trail, Enduro), where terrain consistencies, from compact to supple, become key factors for the tread profile that’s designed for each specific surface conditions.
With the new line, Pirelli is one of the few bike tire manufacturers in the world to offer a complete range of tires dedicated to electric mountain bikes, which cover almost all disciplines as the new Scorpion E-MTB range offers three profiles.
- M (Mixed Terrain) is the perfect tire for Trail and All Mountain tracks. It’s at ease on mixed surfaces where changes can also be unpredictable or sudden, from hard pack to loose grounds, and from stones to roots. Excellent grip without sacrificing smoothness.
• R (Rear Specific) gives more traction to the rear wheel. Natural companion of the M, it proves to be a valuable asset in all situations of pushing and braking, ensuring grip and longer life to the rear wheel, in any context.
- S (Soft Terrain) is the right choice for Enduro E-MTBs: it provides the best traction on soft and supple grounds. Its aggressive and very spaced blocks guarantee high grip when cornering and braking; perfect for aggressive riding, even in bike parks.
SmartGRIP+: MAXIMUM, SUSTAINABLE, RESISTANCE
The SmartGRIP+ Compound, the heart of the new tires, is a reformulation of the compound developed by Pirelli for its Scorpion MTB tires. It was produced in the Racing plants of the company, where the engineering of the well-known F1 tire compounds also take place.
An innovative feature of this new formulation is the addition of Lignin to the basic composite of the SmartGRIP Compound. Lignin is a naturally sourced chemical component out of the craft pulping process of exhausted paper. Not only it is a low impact additive, but it also enhances performance in light of the unique speed and torque features associated with electric motors of modern E-MTB bikes. This performance enhancement comes with no compromise of the other characteristic of the SmartGRIP Compound formulation, which is the chemical grip.
The result is a version of the SmartGRIP which keeps its main characteristic of having superior dry and wet grip performances as well as Pirelli’s recognized excellence in craftsmanship. The rider benefits from enhanced tire performance, even under the higher speed and torque of E-MTB riding. This blend of properties designed by Pirelli was crafted to positively impact rolling as well as the grip performance over rough terrain, with better overall handling.
In fewer words, more fun!
HyperWALL TECHNOLOGY: E-MTB SPECIFIC PROTECTION AND HANDLING
Bead and sidewalls of the new Scorpion E-MTB tires have been reinforced with HyperWALL (Patent Pending Pirelli) technology, also of Motorsport derivation. The newly developed construction of the bead and sidewalls area further increases tire performance in terms of stability and resistance to pinch-flats of the sidewalls. This is a key aspect, especially in off-road applications, in particular with the more demanding ones such as Gravity and E-MTB.
With its sophisticated rubber compound, this tread highly relies on and behaves strictly dependent on the stability and integrity of the bead and sidewall themselves. Pirelli introduced a construction that solidly anchors the bead and the rubber sidewall insert with a woven fabric flipper, making them behave as one whole solid piece instead of as separate components. HyperWALL improves the stability of the bead (+10%*), offers greater protection against pinch-flats (+50%*) and better handling (+25%**). (*Internal Pirelli laboratory tests – ** Outdoor blind test with Pirelli Field Testing testers in Sicily).
UNRIVALED LIGHTWEIGHT AT E-MTB RELIABILITY
Among tires with a similar level of protection available on the market now, Pirelli’s new Scorpion E-MTB tires are among the lightest: thanks to the concentration of applied technologies, the new Pirelli tires offer reliability and protection from the typical pinching of a DH rubber, at a weight of about 20% lower. The whole is seasoned with excellent grip and lots of fun. The new tire weights vary from 1.200g for the 27.5×2.6 to 1.330g for the 29×2.6 version.
Pirelli’s Scorpion E-MTB tires will be available on the EMEA, NAFTA & APAC markets starting from June 30, 2020 – Available in 29×2.6 and 27.5×2.6
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