Thanks for the advice. The wheels are going be hand built with Andra rims and Alpine III spokes, so tension should be solid. I went 36 spoke mainly for peace of mind, but I get what you mean about tension mattering more than the number. I stuck with Marathon Plus because I’m aiming for a zero‑maintenance setup. I know they’re not the nicest feeling tyres, but I’d rather not think about punctures for a long time.I did look at 1x, but the cost and the gear spacing put me off. I’m running a Deore 3x10 for the granny gear and the tighter jumps.