17th April 6pm Chain Gang (group 2)

Ok - this is how I see it from my perspective (referring back to last year, as I wasn't at the training ride last night). Billy is a very strong rider - on a road bike he would give the strongest riders in the club a run for their money and, assuming he paid his sub etc, he'd be welcome to join us, on MTB, road bike or whatever.

But, and I am by no means the only person to feel this, he often rides in a way that is actually dangerous or gives the perception of being so in the context of group riding. That doesn't mean that everyone else is perfect and never makes mistakes - but in his case it is far more common. On the road you are riding inches away from other riders and sharing the road with motor vehicles and what is acceptable on a trail is just not acceptable there. Riding wide, throwing the bike about, suddenly stopping on the front, basically not quietly following a wheel or giving a steady wheel to follow will always give road cyclists concerns, and rightly so - and especially if you're riding through and off.

Billy, if you read this - it's not about you or about the fact that you're on an MTB - it's because we genuinely feel your riding style is not appropriate for group riding, and some of us might have said that in a more colourful way than others. If you want to ride with the club, then I encourage you to think about this.