Community Highlights: Meet Kevin Van Voorn of Athens E-Bikes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Van Voorn.

Kevin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story really begins in 2018 when I made the decision to pivot to an e-bike as my primary mode of transportation here in Athens, Georgia. What started as a practical choice quickly became something much bigger, a genuine shift in how I saw my city, my community, and my own place in it. Riding through neighborhoods, along trails, and past the places I’d driven by a hundred times without noticing, I started to see Athens differently. I also started to realize that most people had no idea what e-bikes were actually capable of, and that the biggest barrier was awareness around how e-bikes can be incorporated into everyday life.
For years I worked in outdoor retail, helping people find the right gear for the adventures they were dreaming about. I loved that work because at its core it was about connection. Understanding what someone needed and helping them get prepared for the next adventure. But over time I kept coming back to the same idea: someone needed to bring that same experience-first approach to e-bikes in Athens. Waiting for someone else to do it wasn’t going to cut it. So in 2025 I started Athens E-Bikes, a mobile rental, guided ride, and sales business built around the belief that the best way to show someone the joy of an e-bike is simply to get them on one. With that came the realization that infrastructure and community education are huge, and it has led me to get involved and meet some amazing people along the way.
Today Athens E-Bikes is growing in ways I didn’t expect. I’m partnering with one of the most recognized e-bike brands in the country to help build out a Southeast regional presence. I’m in active conversations with the University of Georgia about micromobility infrastructure and research partnerships, and working with local advocates for the kind of cycling infrastructure that makes a city genuinely livable. The e-bike movement is here and I want to get people to jump on and enjoy the ride.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, no. The biggest challenge hasn’t been the business itself — it’s been the environment the business operates in. When the infrastructure isn’t there, the barrier to adoption stays high. People want to ride, but they don’t always feel safe doing it. And that’s really the heart of what I advocate for — because better infrastructure doesn’t just benefit cyclists. It makes the entire community safer for every type of transportation, every type of person. That’s a goal worth pushing for. Which is why I’ve made it a part of my business strategy to help navigate people on safer streets and routes around town, while introducing them to our greenway system — a network that seamlessly connects different neighborhoods and parts of campus in a way that makes Athens feel a lot more accessible than most people realize. Having firsthand knowledge of the safer roads and which ones to avoid helps first time riders feel confident and allows them to enjoy the experience instead of feeling unsafe.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Athens E-Bikes?
Athens E-Bikes is a mobile e-bike rental, guided ride, and sales business rooted in the belief that the best cities are the ones where you don’t need a car to live well. We bring the bikes to you, whether that’s a trailhead, a hotel, a neighborhood, or a campus. No storefront, just a direct and personal experience built around getting people outside and moving.
What we specialize in is really the introduction. A lot of people are e-bike curious but don’t know where to start. They’ve heard about them, maybe seen someone ride one, but haven’t had a reason to try one themselves. That’s where we come in. We take the friction out of that first experience and let the bike do the rest. Nine times out of ten, once someone rides one, the conversation changes completely.
We’re actively engaged with local government, university partners, and industry leaders to help shape the conversation around cycling infrastructure and e-bike adoption in Athens and across the Southeast.
As a brand, what I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve built in a short amount of time. People refer us to their friends, their families, their colleagues. That word of mouth means more to me than any metric. At the end of the day Athens E-Bikes exists to show people that getting around doesn’t have to be stressful, expensive, or isolating. It can actually be one of the best parts of your day.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is the moment I rode a bike without training wheels for the first time. That rush of realizing my body figured out balance before my brain even had a chance to catch up is something I’ve never forgotten.
And I think most people can close their eyes and feel that same moment. It’s a universal memory because it teaches you something bigger than riding a bike. Using your own momentum and balance to guide you on your journey in life..

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.athens-e-bikes.com
• Instagram: @athensebikes
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-van-voorn-athensebikes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AthensE-Bikes