What did Paul Oldham and the Hope crew run last year?
He didn’t race last year, but either way…. Rob usually uses the Hope Hoops mtb wheels, Crest 29er rims with Racing Ralph 35c tyres tubeless at around 55psi, ditto Paul, but they’re both light enough to just about get away with them, although Rob punctured a couple of times last year and said he won’t use tubeless again.
Myself and Dan being, er, bigger units, tend to need to make time up down hill so a bit more tyre is needed and run Land Cruisers with thick tubes at around 80psi on the Hope Tech XC rims. I have also tried Smart Sams but they’re too thin a sidewall and got destroyed.
Don’t worry about tread pattern, there’s nothing much to get a grip on anyway so think puncture protection over everything else. Land Cruisers are crap and heavy, but have super thick sidewalls and a roll well once up to speed due to the central band on the tread. I’ve used them in the heaviest of rain up there and not come to much more grief than if I was using grippy tyres.