Bicycling in Hungary
A variety of cycling related information from Hungary, including the sport and the industry. Work in progress!
Please don't regard anything read here as a fact.
I'm using the Western name order here, but the Hungarian native form is "Bodrogi László" etc, family names come first.
Mass production manufacturers
As of 2013, none of the brands listed here have anything produced in Hungary, bicyles are only assembled here (and maybe painted/finished).
Classification like "low end" is based entirely on my opinion. Links are in Hungarian, no surprise...
Location: Kecskemét -> Budapest?
Profile: General, low end to mid-range. MTB/cross models.
Status 2013:
Trivia: Name comes from Caprinae, Roman/Latin name of Kecskemét
199x: Caprine Kft
1998: Caprine purchased by Avex group
Location: Budapest
Profile: Complete bikes and parts. General, low end to mid-range. Significant range of fixed gear bikes. They re-used the Pannónia name on certain models.
Status 2013: Active. Production is now outsourced to Asia
1928: Weiss Manfréd, subsidiary of the Weiss Manfréd Steel Works
1950: Csepel Kerékpárgyár (state owned). Notable models: Tihany, Túra Csepel, Camping (folding bike), Apolló (road)
1988-1996: Schwinn-Csepel Zrt (privately owned; multiple owner changes including Schwinn USA, YBM etc). Notable models: Woodlands (MTB)
2012: name reverted to Csepel Zrt
Location: Hódmezővásárhely -> Budapest
Profile: MTB -> General
Status 2013: Active.
Trivia: Name from the ancient Gepid tribe who lived in the region of Hódmezővásárhely
1991: Warion Kft (Jenő Lajtár)
1994: Gepida brand. CrMo MTB hardtails. Notable models: Asgard, Sirmium
1996: Warion Kft bankruptcy
1998: Gepida brand name taken over by Olimpia Kerékpár Kft
2006: Pedelec line
Location: Százhalombatta, Budapest
Profile:
Status 2013:
Trivia: Brand name comes from the owner's name (Dénes Purnhauser). See Caprine. Hungarian Specialized dealership running a test base in the Bükk mountains. (company history in Hungarian)
1991: Avex Kft
1995: Introduction of Hauser bicycles
2000: Hauser Kerékpár Kft (separated from household machine business), a subsidiary of Avex ZRt
Location: Budapest
Profile: Complete bikes, mostly MTB, a few models in other genres as well. BTS brand of bike parts.
Status 2013: Inactive (wholesale only). No new Magellan models from 2012.
Trivia: The Magellan program director was Jenő Lajtár, straight from Warion Kft/Gepida. The company name is derived from the family name of the owners, Csere and Kele.
1990: Cseke Bt
1997: Cseke Zrt
1998: Magellan brand (notable models: Polaris, PolarX, Crux, Pyxis, Deneb, Vega, Tucana)
2011: Szilárd Buruczki leaves 13 years of Magellan sponsorship for Merida
Location: Budapest
Profile: Road, triathlon and budget MTB
Status 2013: Active. BMX, MTB and fixie line is available.
Trivia: name = János Máli, owner. Cannondale, Mongoose, Wheeler and ex-Marzocchi dealership
1989: J.P. Mali Kft
Matai
Location: Székesfehérvár
Profile: MTB, BMX (?) low end, assembly
Status 2014: Brand defunct, company active
Trivia: Imre Nyerges Bognár (owner) was the director of Videoton's cycling team
Name comes from "magyar - taiwani" (Hungarian - Taiwanese)
Production 1991-1995
Current company: NBI Sport Bt
Neuzer, Altrix
Location: Esztergom, Budapest and abroad
Profile:
Status 2013:
Trivia: name = owner, András Neuzer. History here. Allegedly the Hungarian market leader.
1987: Neuzer Kft
1995: founding and sponsoring Pilis Cross Country Club
1996: Altrix brand (low end)
Nopeus, Skarpea
Location: Budapest
Profile: budget MTB, cross, fixie
Status 2013: Active
2008: Nopeus Team Kft
2008: Skarpea brand
2012: Nopeus brand (basically a replacement of Skarpea)
Location: Budapest
Profile: General: MTB, urban, etc
Status 2013: Inactive. The brand name is not in use.
Trivia: See also: Gepida
1994: Olimpia brand (György Berkes)
1996: Olimpia Kerékpár Kft
1997: Bike Trade '97 Kft for wholesale
Pannonia/Pannónia
Location: Unknown
Profile: Urban low end. This name was used by Csepel and Cseke? as well for totally different models.
Trivia: The name is the Roman name of Hungary and/or the Carpathian basin
Pannónia Classic - Cseke Rt? (around 2010)
Scamp
Location: Budapest
Profile: Freeride/dirt MTB
Status 2013: Inactive (sold by bikediszkont.hu from 2006)
Models: DirtMaster, Goat, FatRat (dirt/hardtail), Colt (FR/DH fully)
"Label brand", frames were produced and finished in Taiwan for Bikediszkont.hu
For example, the same models were available as Magellan Polar-x/Vega etc in Hungary or Poison Arzen/Taxin/Curare etc in Germany
Velvart (Velvárt)
Location: Budapest
Profile: Initially only road and urban bicycles, now BMX and fixies.
Status 2013: Active. BMX and fixie line.
Trivia: Name = founder (Nándor Velvárt, former bicycle champion)
1922: Velvárt kerékpárüzlet (shop)
1992: Velvárt Bt, profile changed to BMX
Location: unknown
Profile: low end urban/cross models
Status 2013: Active.
Trivia: Produced by Neuzer? Marketed by the Decathlon sports chain (Oxylane group). Allegedly designed and manufactured in Hungary.
2013: Introduction to the Hungarian market
Bicycle parts and accessories
Bagaboo
BTS - see Magellan
Custom manufacturers
Bike Butcher (Márk Beláz)
https://www.facebook.com/BikeButcher
Gyál, Hungary
frame repairs
Yasec (Károly Zügn)
http://yasec.hu (sometimes down)
Sopron, Hungary
mostly frames (MTB, touring, road, track, BMX, trials), formerly some parts (crankset, hubs etc)
Track frame for Szilvia Szabolcsi
Merényi (Dániel Merényi)
https://www.facebook.com/merenyibicycles
Miskolc, Hungary
generally 700C steel frames and forks (road, track, cyclocross)
announced end of production Oct 2014
Hunor Kézműves Kerékpár (András Horváth)
https://www.facebook.com/HunorKezmuvesKerekpar
Érd, Hungary
he formerly used the brandAndrew's
steel frames (mostly touring) and other parts
repairs
Patai-Szabó
Szeged, Hungary
frame production is discontinued
Miklós Tarapcsák "Pajti bá"
racing in Újpest SC 1955-1964
lead/team mechanic in Újpest SC 1964-1978
subsequent custom frame production since the 60s (steel track/road frames)
Budapest; died in May 2014
source (Hungarian)
Ádám Novák - CarbonRecumbent
http://carbonrecumbent.com/en/news
Facebook (official)
Fűzfőgyártelep, Hungary
Company: Szatuna Kft
Wholesale
Biker (Avid Bell Blackburn Giro Icetoolz Jagwire Kryptonite Minoura Panaracer RockShox Sapim Scott Sidi SKS SRAM Syncros Truvativ Zipp...)
Cseke
Neuzer
Mali
Progress (CZ) - Giant
...
Biketex - Adidas clothing; Mavic apparel (clothing, shoes, helmets); Montana bicycles
Shops
Each entry should include: Name with website, postal address, webshop and Facebook page, company name and founder and/or owner, profile, team and additional info.
Shops listed here have been in business for a while.
Basic company info can be looked up/verified on ceginfo.hu, for example.
Address: Budapest, Fényes Adolf u. 19-21, Facebook
Company: New Exit Kft +Airborne (paragliding) +SpiderClub (climbing)
Profile: MTB, cyclocross, road, racing support, training, organized rides
Team: Alpinbike Team-Giant-Endura-CsontiCar
Bajnok (Herce-Hurca)
Address: 1063 Budapest, Szív utca 11, Facebook
Company: Bajnok Kerékpár Kft, Árpád Kiss ("Kopasz")
Profile: Track/singlespeed/fixed gear specialist, also general stuff
Address: 1035 Budapest, Vihar u. 10. / Vihar u. 12, webshop, Facebook
Company: Berguson Kft (1995), András Nagy
Profile: general, touring, clothing, accessories, second-hand(?), rental
Team: Berguson-Kellys Team
Bikeart / Bike Art Center
Address: 1126 Budapest Kiss János Alt u. 26; 1027 Budapest, Csalogány utca 23-33, Facebook
Company: Bike Art Center Kft (2005)
Profile: mostly road; Orbea and Cube
Address: Debrecen, webshop only
Company: MR Projekt Bikes Kft (Riád Mutier)
Profile: parts, extreme genres (BMX, dirt, freeride)
Address: Veszprém, 8200 Madách utca 50-1, Facebook
Company: Bike-Land Kft.
Profile: general, Merida, Cube, Kross, RockShox
Bikemen (ex Vár-Kerékpár)
Address: 1117 Budapest, Fehérvári út 38/A (from November 2013), Facebook
Company: Bikemen Kft (2002)
Old addresses: 1011 Budapest, Hunyadi János u. 4 (Vár-Kerékpár) -> 1023 Budapest, Apostol utca 13.C (Bikemen)
Address: 1048 Budapest, Lóverseny tér 3.; not a shop, only for direct fetching of orders, Facebook
Company: Bestparts Kft (Tamás Ardó)
Profile: components
The owner was the editor-in-chief of the leading magazine BikeMag
Address: 1054 Budapest, Vadász u. 10, Facebook
Company: Bringavilág Sportközpont Kft, 1053 Budapest, Veres Pálné u. 14. fszt. 7. (2000)
Profile: MTB, road and clothing. Hungarian Corratec dealer, Cube, Campagnolo apparel
Probably started as "Corratec Kerékvár". See Web other: http://www.corratec.hu/
Address: 1021 Budapest, Zuhatag sor 12, Facebook
Company: ??
Profile: MTB and general, Merida, Gepida, Neuzer...
Address: 1145 Budapest, Erzsébet királyné útja 14/A, webshop, Facebook
Company: Fülöp Kerékpár Centrum (company form unknown) Established in 1981. József Fülöp
Website under maintenance
Address: 1015 Budapest Hattyú u. 10/c; Zalaegerszeg?; Budafok Campona?, Facebook
Company: Radburg Kft (2009)
Profile: general; Merida, Specialized, Caprine
Web other: http://www.kerekvar.com/ ex http://www.greenzone.hu
Old company: Kerékvár Lánc Kft (2005, 1225 Budapest, Campona u. 1. - defunct)
Address: 2030 Érd, Budafoki út 39, Facebook
Company:
Profile: used imports (bicycles and parts)
Address: 1095 Budapest, Mester u. 5., Facebook
Company: ??
Team: MesterBike Team
Address: 1123 Budapest, Nagyenyed u. 6., webshop, Facebook (prime-bikes)
Company: ?, András Szalontay
Profile: MTB, road: Giant, Merida, BMC dealer...
Team: Moab Team SE, Merida Maraton Team CST
old address: 1012 Budapest, Attila út 87
Address: 1173 Budapest, Pesti út 37
Company: Pap László egyéni vállakozó (László Pap, 1985)
Profile: cycling in general, +ski/snowboard during winter
The owner worked in Fülöp's shop
Address: 1026 Budapest, Szilágyi Erzsébet fasor 13-15 (from 2005), Facebook
Company: Probike Bt (1998), Balázs Noé
Profile: primarily MTB, racing support and general, Scott, Magellan...
Partner company: Bikemen? (very similar webshop and items); old address: 1025 Budapest, Zöldlomb utca 36-38
Address: 1106 Budapest, Örs vezér tere 25 (Árkád mall), 1161 Budapest, Rákóczi utca 51, Facebook
Company:
+Webshop: http://ridebike.hu/ http://ebike.hu/
Profile: everyday cyclists, accessories
Now defunct shop in Récsei Center
Address: 1032 Budapest, Visegrádi út 18/c, Facebook
Company: Vizdák Kft (János Vizdák)
Profile: mostly MTB
Team/Sponsor of: Bringabanda SE
The owner was a well known XC/Marathon racer from the 90s
2Kerékvár
Address: 1016 Budapest, Hunyadi János u. 4.
Company: 2KerékVár Kft
TODO - this was the first shop called Kerékvár, see also Vár-Kerékpár at Bikemen. I'm not sure whether they exist...
Bicycle facilities
Velodromes
Millenáris Velodrom, Budapest (managed by the State, for licensed racers only)
Bike parks (mountain)
Eplény Bringaréna (ski resort) - downhill, XCO tracks and lifts
Hegyi Sportok Bázisa downhill (?) track, Mátrafüred
Szabó-hegy, downhill track, Kőszeg (currently illegal?)
Várhely, downhill track, Sopron (free/open)
BMX parks/Dirt/Pump tracks
Görzenál (skates, skateboards, BMX) outdoor, Budapest / http://www.gorzenal.hu/index.php?p=about
eXbox - Lab Skate Park, indoor, Budapest/Budafok / http://exbox.hu/szolgaltatasok/3-99-eves-korig/lab-skate-park.html
Budapest XVI, Szilas-patak / https://www.facebook.com/HerminaTrack
Budapest/Kőbánya, Kőbányai BringaPark (in the Sportliget complex) - pump track, MTB track, skate, biketrials / http://vuelta.hu/bringapark-kupa-2014/kobanyai-bringapark
Budapest/Óbuda, Flórián tér concrete pump track, outdoor (free/0-24h) abandoned
Budapest/Rákosmente, Népkert, BMX park (free)
Budapest/Békásmegyer, Csobánka tér, BMX/Skate park, outdoor
Budapest/Csepel-Királymajor - Dirt jump/Pump track/Halfpipe (free)
Budapest/Sas-hegyi Bike Park, XI., Elopatak utca / https://www.facebook.com/BikeparkBudapest
Szentes, BMX park
Rákócziújfalu (near Szolnok), BMX park
Sopron, BMX park
Gencsapáti, BMX park
Kecskemét, Free Line BMX park
Mecsextrém Park ?
Miskolc, Factory BMX park
Portable pump track by Gizmo
Budapest, Hősök tere (unofficial practicing ground for BMX flatland)
Infrastructure
One of the first bicycle paths was built in 1989 between Budapest (Óbuda, Rómaifürdő) and Szentendre for recreational purposes.
Notable Hungarian cyclists
From the past few decades. I'm going to add a historical list one day.
Road, track
László Bodrogi (1976)
The only Hungarian to race in the Tour de France (as of 2013)
French citizen since 2008 (see Wikipedia article)
Hungarian national champion
Time trial specialist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laszlo_Bodrogi
http://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/1404271-Laszlo-Bodrogi
Péter Kusztor (1984)
http://www.kusztorpeter.com/
http://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/1387321-Peter-Kusztor
Krisztián Lovassy (1988)
2012 Olympics
http://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/140807-Krisztian-Lovassy
Péter Pais (1962)
One of the most successful national track cyclists
Retired unbeaten in 2004 with 109 national gold medals
The pressure from fellow cyclists 'to leave others win' made him quit
Csaba Szekeres
Endurance
Tamás Járvás
RAAM 2012: 5th place
Ferenc Szőnyi
http://racemachine.blog.hu/
RAAM 2009: 9th place
RAAM 2012: 14th place (on a Stringbike)
2010: ultra-triathlon world champion
Attila Káldy
RAAM 2006: 8th place
RAAM 2007: 6th place
Cyclocross
Szilárd Buruczki
...
MTB Cross country, marathon
Zsolt Vinczeffy (XC, CX)
Szilárd Buruczki
András Parti (XC)
2008, 2012 Olympics
Barbara Benkó
Trials
Örs Szabó, Tamás Kaiser, Péter Balázs
some of the dominant/noteworthy riders around 2000
Tamás Ardó
promoter of the genre, trials column author and later the editor-in-chief of Bikemag (see Media)
László Hegedűs
http://www.youtube.com/user/Hegemonstertrial
Hungarian champion in 20" and 26" wheel
Adrián Lengyel
https://www.youtube.com/user/lengyeladrian1
...
Downhill, enduro, freeride
Mihály Gulyás
Attila Nagy "Gizmo"
Attila Liszi
2013 Hungarian DH champion
Rajmund Lukács
2012 #1 rank in Hungary
Organization
National organization
MKSz
Magyar Kerékpáros Szövetség - Hungarian Cycling Federation
Umbrella organization above MMTBSz, MKSzSz and MBMXSz
MMTBSz
Magyar Mountain Bike Szövetség - Hungarian Mountain Bike Federation
XCO, XCE, XCM, XCC (?), downhill, four-cross, trials
http://mksz.sport.hu/mtb-fooldal
MKSzSz
Magyar Kerékpáros Szakági Szövetség - "Hungarian Cycling Federation of Divisions"
Road, track, cyclocross
http://mksz.sport.hu/mkszsz-fooldal
MBMXSz
Magyar BMX Szövetség - Hungarian BMX Federation
BMX Cross
http://mksz.sport.hu/bmx-fooldal
Magyar Freestyle BMX Szövetség
new, unofficial organization, still forming...
http://freestylebmx.hu/ currently empty
Clubs
Bringabanda SC
SHKE
PCCC
Team Alpinbike ...
LiMiT Racing Team (downhill/freeride)
Utensilnord - Ora24.eu (Continental/Italian club with a lot of Hungarian pro riders)
...
Media
Magazines in print
Velo.hu (2008 - current; monthly)
Offline (2000 - current; quarterly)
Standmag (2009 - current, free; quarterly)
Mountain Bike Action Hungary (MBAH) - 1993-1999; renamed to BikeMag
BikeMag (general cycling; printed version discontinued in 2009)
Pedál (mostly road and competition; discontinued)
Internet magazines/Communities
Bikemag (cycling in general)
Bikemag forum (mostly hobbyists)
Velo.hu (cycling in general)
Revomag (cycling in general)
Offline (extreme sports including BMX/MTB)
Standmag (BMX/dirt/freeride/downhill)
Criticalmass.hu forum (mostly activists and commuters)
Advertisements, classifieds
Vatera - Kerékpározás (auctions)
Aprod.hu Kerékpár
References
These sources include historical information. At some point, they will be used as references in the above text.
http://fixedgearhungary.com/a-csepel-valaszol.fixi
http://cserny-mester.blogspot.hu/2012/05/tevhit-mai-kis-enyhen-szakmai.html
http://veddamagyart.info/mszaki-cikk/118-gepida-kerekpar
http://www.delmagyar.hu/hodmezovasarhely_hirek/gepida_okori_nep__es_vasarhelyi_bicikli/2130656/
http://www.tranzitonline.eu/cegkartya/olimpia-kerekpar-kft
http://fn.hir24.hu/gazdasag/2006/07/17/kerek_paros
http://www.mozgasvilag.hu/kerekpar/hirek/uttoro-kerekparbolt
http://bmx.lap.hu/magyar_parkok/14360600