Cycling provides riders with feelings of infinite freedom and complete independence. As these sensations are more widely appreciated by city officials and acknowledged with the installation of new bicycle lanes every year, the experience of biking in Budapest is improving as more and more people jump in the saddle, and not simply because necessity forces them to go somewhere. Getting around Budapest by bike is fast, efficient, and cool – especially when riders are properly equipped with these locally produced accessories and two-wheeled wares.
The founders of Bringabag know exactly what kind of a bag urban cyclists need, since they have been cruising the streets of Budapest by bike for years. Riding every day made them realize that they needed something more comfy than a backpack or a messenger bag. However, the standard selection of panniers left them unsatisfied: they wanted something more colorful and unique, so they cut out their first models from recycled canvas and molinos. Today, they make colorful saddle covers, handlebar bags, and skirt guards as well, with feminine designs – flowery, dotted, or striped patterns – along with camouflage and skull-patterned versions for men. The Bringabag summer collection includes smaller bags for kids’ bikes, too.
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Stores: pArt12 Designer Galéria, WAMP, DIP
Prices: bags from 3,900 to 9,500 HUF, skirt guards 4,300 HUF, saddle covers 3,300 HUF
This brand was previously known for its bike bags and backpacks, but the girls took a deep breath and rolled out a soft-shell jacket series. The demand for special clothing has grown along with the number of urban cyclists who keep riding through rain and snow, hence the Gorilla series was born, and released only after a lengthy test period. First it was a women’s-only collection, but now boys can also pick a favorite. Although the jackets with the monkey logo are practical primarily in the colder seasons, it doesn’t hurt to think ahead. The soft-shell material is cozy and warm on the inside, while it’s waterproof and windproof on the outside. The longer back, the elastic band in the hood, the extra-flexible cuff that you can put your thumb through, and the ventilation openings are all smart details that you will definitely enjoy while pedaling down the road.
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Store: Mesterbike
Price: 39,990 HUF
Cangira is another brand specializing in bags, creating limited series of panniers, frame and handlebar bags, bags with lights included, pouches, and repair-tool bags. All of these bags are waterproof, and the large ones hold an unbelievable amount of stuff, while there are lockable versions that you can just leave on your bike. Practicality is only one feature: durability is also important, hence the stitchings are reinforced. The models are made with quality materials, including waterproofed canvas, faux leather, and recycled molinos. If you want a unique piece or a custom design, the designers of Cangira will try to craft any idea into reality; they also sell practical reflective trousers and jewelry made of used bike tires.
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Store: Budapest Bike bicajkölcsönző
Prices: 3,000 - 11,000 HUF
With their slogan being “Think, Laugh, Ride!”, musu creates its fun and cute accessories with original designs, bearing smile-inducing imagery like their trademark bunny or spoke-eyed children, appearing on innumerable bikes around town. Items of the bike-accessory series Pimpyourbike by musu are available in bike shops, at fairs, and through the musu web shop. The selection is continually growing since 2010; spoke reflectors are among the bestsellers, with the one of an owl being the top product. Girls love the tulip motif, while boys are smitten with the bull terrier. The adhesives make any bike hip, while the round reflective stickers also improve riders’ safety.
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Store: webshop
Prices: spoke reflectors 400 HUF, adhesives 200–900 HUF
Zsuzsanna Serin Kerro makes cool caps, clothing items, wallets, and bags for cyclists in her workshop on Német Street. The one-person brand continues to expand at a relaxed-yet-steady pace, with the designer making items for urban cyclists that few others or nobody else ever made. In choosing the material for the caps and the backpacks, environmental consciousness is a major factor: lots of her materials come from secondhand stores. The summer collection is emblazoned with patterns of stars and vinyl records, among others; Serin also plans to introduce original patterns. You can find her pieces at her workshop, or order them online – each one of them is dispatched in a unique hand-stamped envelope with bike-themed imagery.
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Stores: Etsy, Meska
Prices: caps 3,100 HUF, backpacks 19,500 - 23,500 HUF
Zsófi Geréby is a pioneer through and through: she was one of the first two-wheeled visionaries to design bike-specific everyday clothing. Her exciting women’s and men’s pieces are not only fun looking, but are made of technical materials and with the proper technologies. The Marngrook jacket is a men’s piece with waterproof zippers, two side pockets, and reflective details. Bird Woman is a four-pocket hooded raincoat with mesh sides: an ideal option for girls caught in a summer downpour. The Cape Volata biker raincoats will protect you when it rains cats and dogs, and when the sun comes back you can fold them to palm size and pack them away easily.
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Stores: Flatlab, Bajnok bike shop
Prices: 18,000 - 35,000 HUF
