Why I Ride Pirelli Scorpion Tyres: My Relationship with FE Sports

By Dan Smith | MTB23 Mountain Bike Coaching & Rider Development

Over the years I've ridden just about every tyre combination you can think of.

As a coach, I spend countless hours on the bike every week. Not only am I riding for my own enjoyment, but I'm also demonstrating skills, riding different terrain, and helping riders develop confidence in all sorts of conditions.

When you're on the bike that much, your equipment matters.

That's why my relationship with FE Sports and Pirelli has become one that I'm genuinely proud of.

How It Started

I was fortunate enough to meet Paul from FE Sports, and from the very first conversation we seemed to share similar views around the cycling industry, product access, and supporting riders.

We had a great chat at the inaugural Sea Otter Australia event and quickly realised there was strong alignment between what FE Sports was doing and what I was trying to achieve through MTB23.

Not long afterwards, we shook hands, signed the paperwork, and I officially came on board as a Brand Ambassador representing Pirelli Tyres, Galfer Brakes and PNW Components.

One of the aspects that excited me most was the opportunity to establish a Trade Account under MTB23. This allows me to offer riders within my Trail Map Membership access to high-quality products at excellent pricing, creating even more value for the community we're building.

For me, that's what good partnerships are about. It's not just about supporting me. It's about creating benefits for the riders I coach as well.

Why Pirelli?

Truthfully, I wasn't riding Pirelli tyres before the partnership.

But I was incredibly curious.

I've always been a Formula One fan, and seeing that famous yellow Pirelli branding immediately caught my attention. More importantly, Pirelli has built a global reputation as one of the world's premier tyre manufacturers.

The question I wanted answered was simple:

How good are their mountain bike tyres?

Living and riding in Sydney creates a unique challenge for any tyre.

One day you're riding loose sandstone and deep sand at OMV or H2O. The next you're dealing with loam, roots, rock gardens or wet weather conditions at places like Ourimbah, Bare Creek or Mt Narra.

As a coach, I need equipment that performs everywhere.

Not just when conditions are perfect.

My Current Setup

My daily bike is a Polygon Collosus T9.

Wheelset:
Wingman Origin Wheels with Sidekick Hubs.

( https://ride-wingman.com/pages/rims/origin )

Tyres:
Front – Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M 29 x 2.5 @ 24 PSI

Rear – Pirelli Scorpion Enduro T 29 x 2.5 @ 30 PSI with a Tubolight insert.

At around 90 kilograms, this setup has proven to be incredibly reliable across every type of terrain I regularly ride.

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed was the grip.

Not just a little bit more grip.

A lot more grip.

These tyres aren't the fastest rolling tyres on hardpack terrain, and I'm happy to be honest about that. But once the trail points downhill, they absolutely come alive.

The level of traction available immediately gave me confidence to push harder.

And confidence is everything in mountain biking.

Cornering Confidence

Of all the qualities these tyres possess, cornering grip is what impresses me most.

I feel incredibly comfortable leaning hard onto the edge knobs and trusting the front tyre to pull me through the turn.

I've ridden a lot of tyres over the years.

Some bite aggressively but unpredictably.

Some have a delayed engagement feeling.

Some struggle in off-camber situations.

The Scorpion Enduro M simply feels controlled and predictable.

When I'm committing to a line, I know what the tyre is going to do.

That inspires confidence.

And confidence allows riders to progress.

Loose Terrain, Rock Gardens & Off-Camber Trails

Sydney sandstone can be brutal.

Deep sand, loose-over-hard conditions and off-camber trails expose weaknesses in tyres very quickly.

No tyre creates grip where none exists.

Ultimately, grip still comes down to rider skill.

But what I appreciate about the Scorpion range is that they encourage you to trust the tyre.

You can push deeper into loose terrain knowing there's a good chance the tyre will find support underneath.

The tyres also track exceptionally well through rough terrain and aren't easily deflected by roots or rocks.

That predictability becomes hugely valuable when you're riding at speed.

Braking Performance

Another area where I've noticed significant benefits is braking.

The tyres allow me to brake later into corners while still maintaining confidence in the available traction.

Of course, quality brakes do most of the heavy lifting.

My Galfer setup certainly helps.

But when you're pushing your limits, that extra percentage of confidence from your tyres can make a real difference.

Later braking.

More control.

More confidence.

Ultimately, faster riding.

Durability

One question I often get asked is about durability.

I've been running this current set since the beginning of March.

Only now am I starting to feel the rear tyre losing some of its sharpness, and that's after a huge amount of riding and coaching.

Even more impressive?

Zero punctures.

That's no small achievement considering how aggressive Sydney sandstone can be on tyres.

I've seen some expected sidewall wear, but nothing that concerns me.

Strong casings remain one of my biggest recommendations to riders, and the Pirelli Scorpion Enduro range has delivered exactly that.

The Coaching Perspective

One of the biggest mistakes riders make is choosing tyres that don't suit their riding style.

The wrong tyre.
The wrong pressure.
The wrong casing.
The wrong rotation direction.

Tyres are like shoes.

Get the wrong pair and everything feels uncomfortable.

Get the right pair and suddenly everything works better.

As a coach, I look for:

• Strong casing

• Soft compound grip

• Predictable handling

• Performance across multiple conditions

• Reliability

The Scorpion Enduro combination ticks those boxes for me.

Would I recommend the exact same setup to every rider?

No.

Every rider is different.

But if you ride the same style of terrain I do and value descending performance, cornering confidence and all-condition grip, they're absolutely worth trying.

Experience is what matters.

Try them yourself and decide.

FE Sports: More Than Just Products

One thing I've appreciated most throughout this journey has been the people.

Every FE Sports product manager, brand manager and media team member I've dealt with has been incredibly supportive of MTB23 and the riders within our community.

Communication is excellent.

Delivery is fast.

Feedback is welcomed.

And perhaps most importantly, you can genuinely feel their enthusiasm for cycling.

The relationship feels authentic.

That's important to me.

Because successful partnerships are built the same way successful coaching relationships are built.

Trust.
Communication.
Respect.

Final Thoughts

The reason I continue to ride Pirelli tyres is simple:

They give me confidence.

Confidence in corners.
Confidence on off-camber trails.
Confidence in rock gardens.
Confidence under brakes.
Confidence when conditions are less than ideal.

As a coach, confidence on the bike starts with trusting yourself and committing to the process.

Even the boring parts.

The right equipment doesn't replace skill.

But it absolutely helps you unlock more of it.

And for me, that's exactly what Pirelli and FE Sports have delivered.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️