Our local cycle club is road minded. In fact it is fast road minded with most of the members being on the young side and several of them are County TT champions with the rest trying to catch them. So although I know a lot of them- I do not belong to the club. However I have been asked to turn up at their Monday evening ride to join the "Slow" Group. Sounds OK- distance of about 20 miles and average speed of 14mph. Sounds about my mark if it is at that speed so I'll give it a try

However I have just found out there is an ulterior motive behind the invitation. They have just started an offroad group and after 3 rides they realise they need someone that knows the local hills. 2nd ride was cut short when they lost the trail and some had the sense to cut the ride short and the others found a Long steep hill between them and home and several finished up walking.

But the rides start about 1 mile from where I live. They are looking for someone to show them the routes and the ropes of offroad riding. I have been suggested- along with my son-in-law as leaders of the group. Don't know how they will feel about an old git and a younger rider that is still trying to recover from a long lay-off but they will get a shock when we turn up with our "Old" skool bikes. 12 year old Bianchi Grizzly and a Kona Explosif that is older than some of the youngsters.. They all have fairly recent machinery- most of it full suspension and in the good class of cost so seeing our old machinery should give then a laugh.

Hopefully They will be about as fit as they look (Which means nothing) and their Offroad skills will be in comparison to the bikes- Still needing sorting. If not I'll struggle but I'll still get them on the downhills. So may be going back to the mud for the winter months.

My reaction is "Do what YOU want to do" If you would like to lead the group or even just be a part of it, DO IT! It sounds like mountain biking had been a big part of your life and it might be nice to get back into it. I'm tempted to say: Don't let the young farts intimidate the old fart -- but I know how it is... But remember, the last time they couldn't even find their way out of the woods!

Actually, its quite a complement that they would even ask you...

Or, maybe you would like to do it simply to help out and do something worthwhile... That's OK too...

But, if you are doing it because you feel pressured into it, that's a bad reason and you should say NO! You do not owe them anything. You have no obligation to them. It reminds me of a line from a David Heinlein novel:
"If tempted by something that feels "altruistic", examine your motives and root out that self-deception. Then, if you still want to do it, wallow in it!"

But too: What about your back? The last I heard you were recovering from some back issues?

If you are leading, you get to set the pace.
Have your son ride in last position so nobody gets dropped.

Oh Yeah, and it sounds like time for n+1

I would like to get some mountain biking back on a regular basis- more enjoyable than road- will get me fitter but the problem will be that getting fit.

Have the idea of two groups within this. The fit ones can go up the hills as fast as they like and I will be with the slow ones--bound to be other slow ones- to encourage them up. I am good at encouraging but not good at getting to the top of the hill first.

But when they get cocky- I can find a few places in the forest that take skill and knowledge to do properly. May take a few rides to get to that standard but reckon I can still show a few how to climb the roots at Jevington without falling off.

And N+1 will not be coming on the MTB's till the Bianchi breaks. Not much chance of that.

I have not tried mountain biking -- but it looks like it would be physically challenging -- particularly if you don't have the techniques mastered (and I'm sure there are many of them to master).

But, your plan sounds like a good one. It will be hard for them to be overly cocky while they're laying on the ground... Just remember to try and not crack a smile!

Best of luck!