Pirelli Launches The First Mountain Bike Tires Made In Italy With FSC Certified Natural Rubber
Pirelli presents the SCORPION XC RC and M, the first 100% Made in Italy mountain bike tires with FSC™ certified natural rubber*. These products are manufactured at Pirelli’s Milan-Bollate plant, which exclusively uses natural rubber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council™.
Designed for Cross-Country races, from short tracks to Olympic races and marathons, these new tires certainly embody a racing spirit. They have been specifically designed for the toughest competitions but can also be used for a wide range of other cross-country applications, including light Trail riding.
The XC range is available in two high-performance casings:
Superlight construction for unmatched speed and responsiveness. Multi-ply 120tpi Nylon for lightness & rolling performance.
Reinforced sidewalls for added protection and stability at low pressures. Multi-ply 120tpi Nylon with added protective sidewall reinforcement technology.
Choose your precision-engineered tread pattern:
- RC – Fast-rolling and versatile, ideal for mixed terrain at race pace.
- M – Optimized for maximum grip on technical and looser surfaces.
NEW RACE COMPOUND
The SCORPION XC RC and M use a new compound formula called RACE Compound. The Pirelli technicians of the Motorsport Compound division have developed it. Made in Italy, it represents Pirelli’s pinnacle of off-road performance in the XC discipline. It is currently the best-performing compound of Pirelli’s MTB XC range. It is designed to combine top chemical grip, also on wet surfaces, high tear resistance, and greater rolling efficiency. The ability to meet opposing needs with a single compound enables the tire to deliver consistent performance throughout every moment of the race, across all types of terrain, and throughout the tire’s lifespan, even when it’s worn out.
SCORPION XC RC
The new RC preserves and enhances the previous tread design, already successful and widely appreciated at all levels of use, and stands at the top of Pirelli’s Cross-Country range as the best all-rounder, offering the perfect balance between speed and grip. In Pirelli’s internal testing, it reduced rolling resistance by 7% compared to the previous model by the same name**. It has been designed to guarantee excellent performance levels both in and out of competition. It features the ideal tread for rocky terrains and dirt tracks, as well as compact to mid-loose, dry, and wet surfaces.
The new design features a more squared profile on the shoulder knobs and a 29×2.4 true size volume (optimized for wide 30c rims), providing greater control and stability in corners thanks to the increased footprint area resulting from the new profile. The less round profile compared to the previous model improves the grip of the side tread blocks when leaning into corners. Additionally, it provides a more immediate and responsive feel in cornering, as well as when hitting the brakes or spinning out of the pedals, thanks to greater rear traction.
It is the ideal tire for tackling technical and fast terrain: when every second matters, the SCORPION XC RC truly delivers.
SCORPION XC M
The M model has undergone a complete redesign. It is perfect for today’s dynamic Marathon courses. It is also suitable for light trail riding, providing the ideal balance between low rolling resistance and good grip on the most slippery terrains and less compact surfaces. Pirelli’s internal testing showed that the new tire is 9% more rolling efficient than the previous model and 12% lighter**. Less weight but greater volume: the SCORPION XC M is also available in the actual 29×2.4 size on 30 mm rims. It offers great performance levels on all loose terrains, ranging from dry loose to light mud, thanks to more open tread knobs and the advanced RACE Compound. It truly delivers on highly technical tracks, where grip and handling are key. Mounted on the front wheel, it adapts to an even wider range of surfaces.
The tread design is more spaced out and distributed, but its central blocks are more compact and denser, thus optimising acceleration and rolling speed without sacrificing control.
The SCORPION XC M is the ideal choice for technical tracks, where speed and control over the bicycle must coexist.
LITE CASING AND NEW PROWALL
The SCORPION XC RC and M are available with two high-performing casings: the ProWALL and the LITE. Whilst the LITE preserves the well-known Pirelli characteristics of lightness and responsiveness, the new ProWALL has been redesigned compared to the previous version. It features a new fabric distribution while retaining its 120 TPI Nylon, as well as reinforced sides, thus achieving even higher levels of protection and stability, especially at low inflation pressure levels.
The new SCORPION XC RC and M tires are now available at the best cycling shops and online, in the 29×2.4 size, featuring two new Silver and Team Edition graphics.
The official début in races is set for the weekend of 22 June, in the XCC and XCO round of the UCI World Cup 2025 in Val di Sole.
*The percentage of natural rubber out of the total weight of the tire is equal to about 17% for the LITE version and 20% for the ProWALL version. Natural rubber is the product’s most important component – FSC™ licence N003618. The FSC™ logo guarantees that the natural rubber used by Pirelli comes from responsibly managed forests, protecting the environment, biodiversity, workers’ rights, and local communities.
** Percentages verified through Pirelli internal testing.