MTBers - are 29ers "safer"?

[Daveyraveygravey]

Background - been riding the South Downs trails for ages, on old fashioned 26 inch hard tails. I also do a lot of road cycling,
probably about a 50/50 split in terms of time.
Had a nasty crash two weeks ago, descending a rough trail between Truleigh Hill and Devils Dyke. I was in a rut on the right of the trail, a runner was coming up in the same rut, so I thought I should move out of his way.
The front end did that thing where it doesn't go over the rut, it just went out from under me and I hit the ground hard. Broken clavicle, possibly elbow, maybe a rib and a couple of nasty cuts and grazes. I was going around 20 mph, so not slow but not mad either.
So my question is, would a bigger wheeled bike just have gone where I wanted? Or is that wishful thinking, or would a bigger wheeled bike move the problem somewhere else?
I've had loads of crashes on road, but nothing serious off. Now the latest is the worst yet, and I just can't keep doing this to myself.

[witko999]

There's no point dealing in 'what if?' scenarios. Would the fall have occurred with 29" wheels? Perhaps not, but then it wouldn't have occurred if you'd not been riding that day due to explosive diarrhoea either.

[TGCOTF-dewey]

Probably yes... Not so much wheel size, but more with the geo of more modern frames.

They're longer and slacker which means they're more stable - you sit more 'in' rather than on the bike.

But it comes down to training / skill ultimately.

[leyorkie]

Well I ride 29s and I am often aware of ruts and the same problem that you had.
Most are impossible to get out of anything over 50 mm deep is a struggle to get out safely

[JEA1K]

29ers are larger and roll faster ... much faster but feel more stable. Theoretically, you're likely to be riding faster on a 29er and therefore causing more damage to yourself.

So no, they are not safer

A crash is a crash ... rider decisions and circumstances are to blame, not the bike.

Hope you heal well and are back on two wheels soon!

[TT1138]

Technically yes… In that the bigger wheels roll over obstacles better.

However they’re also much faster and because they feel more stable encourage you to ride quicker. So no, not really…

[POIDH]

Steering out of a rut at 20mph with any wheelsize is not going to go well.
Sounds like rider error - and only a bunny hop could have worked?

[Tall_martin]

I crash less now I ride 29".

I rode 26" from 1997- 2017.

Is it practice, getting more cautious or the bikes. Impossible to say.

However, I rode Antur Stiniog this weekend for the first time in 6 years. Last time I .was there on a dry weekend on a 26" 200/200mm dh bike. This time I was on a 160/130mm 29" trail bike in proper sideways Welsh rain. I was much faster almost everywhere this time. This time I was on my own, so no stopping to wait for mates.

If you want a new bike, get a new bike.
If you want an incredibly stable bike, get a hello Dave from on one. I've got one, it is super calm. It's absolutely not a sprightly xc bike, bit with some ( much) lighter tyres I'd ride it on the south downs.