In reply to andreas:
> Noticed a huge improvement switching from 19/20" 26" wheeled bikes to a 22" 29er. Used to go over the handle bars weekly on the old bike and I've not done it yet on the new one. Also decends faster than my last bike on anything, the longer wheelbase (it's about a foot longer) is a massive improvement.
Ditto on that
I used to believe in the mantra of "get the smallest frame you can get away with" - not sure where I got that idea from, but it was complete rubbish. Getting an XL sized 29er 5 years ago was a revelation, and has dramatically improved the whole experience for me.