TCBC Bike University Program: Transitioning to an E-Bike – Katie Angle, George Bentley, and Bob Mackie – Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 07:00pm. See the Zoom Registration information below.
Learn about transitioning to an E-Bike from TCBC Members, Katie Angle, George Bentley, and Bob Mackie. In the program, they will cover issues in moving from a regular bike to an E-Bike, how riding in TCBC Group Rides are different, how they have managed battery life, what mechanical issues they have had, dealing with a heavier bike, the expense of E-Bikes, and how they researched the best E-Bike for their needs.
Katie Angle – Katie is a lifelong Minneapolis area native. She is a retired Minneapolis public school teacher, is married with two children, and has four grandchildren. Growing up in the pre-Title 9 era, there were no sport opportunities for girls, so biking became her sport. Katie joined TCBC in 1998, where she met Jim Angle, who has a similar enthusiasm for bicycling with the club and also organized bike tours.
George Bentley – George grew up in Chicago until he went to college in Northfield and moved to the Cities after graduation. He soon found myself in the food industry, which led to me meeting Jean Bentley and getting married just before he turned 36. Jean introduced George to TCBC, and since he had ridden bikes since a young age, he was happy to join. George and Jean have two grown children and live in White Bear Township, having lived in Como Park for 27 years previously.
Bob Mackie – Bob is 80 years old and has been a serious road biker and an occasional mountain biker for 36 years. He joined TCBC post-COVID and shortly after retiring from work as a gastroenterologist. Bob has loved everything about the club and recently joined the TCBC Board of Directors.
Registration: You must register for the Zoom Program in advance by going to this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/b6vzd2h9RWukufCrYodeiQ
After Program Information: Katie, George, and Bob answered several questions about their transitions to e-bikes. These included how long they have been riding an e-bike and what was the most difficult part of transitioning. Additionally, they talked about managing riding in TCBC Group Rides, how that was different from a regular bike, any mechanical issues they have had, and how they best managed the battery power level, including in colder weather. Each of them talked about how far they have gone on a full charge, with both Katie and Bob being able to ride 100 miles! Next, they talked about any difficulties they have had with the added weight of the bicycles. Katie changed from lifting the bike into the back to getting a rack with a ramp. George talked about the difference between his first, much heavier e-bike and his current one. They all talked about how expensive e-bikes are compared to their older bikes. Finally, they talked about what they liked best about riding an e-bike. They all mentioned being able to keep up in group rides.
There were several questions regarding software updates and battery life. George and Bob talked about the phone apps that come with managing their e-bikes. A newer feature is customizing the power levels to meet their needs. Another question was on the life of the battery, but none of them had noticed any degradation of the battery’s power.
The program did not cover e-mountain bikes, but Bob talked briefly about what he knows about mountain biking, and some of his friends who have e-mountain bikes, and being careful with the extra power.
If you watched this program, please fill out the survey at https://biketcbc.org/bike-u-survey/
Please follow the link below to the Zoom recording of the session on the TCBC YouTube Channel:
