Focus Bikes
Encyclopedia
Focus Bikes is a bicycle manufacturer that has its administration and production facilities based in Cloppenburg
, Germany
and builds sport bicycles such as racing bicycles
and mountain bicycles.
, cyclocross World Champion. In 1993 the company partnered with the manufacturer Derby Cycle Werke to produce bicycles. In 1994 the first production line brought out 6 varieties of mountain bike. The following year the company expanded to produce touring bicycles
.
In 2003 the company began to produce racing bicycles
and by 2006 the company produced its first carbon fiber
frames. In 2008 a joint production effort between Andreas Walser
saw the company produce a time trial bicycle
and the same year produced a triathlon
bicycle. In 2009 the company set up subsidiaries in the United States and Italy and began an European wide advertising campaign on Eurosport
TV channel.
In 1998 Jörg Arenz became the German cyclocross champion on a FOCUS bike.
In 2005 Hanka Kupfernagel
became the cyclocross World Champion on a FOCUS Mares Team bike.
In 2008 four athletes sponsored by Focus won titles at the German Cyclocross Championships for juniors, women, 23-and-under, and elite.
In 2009 the company commenced a partnership with Team Milram
. They will partner with Team Katusha
for season 2011 since Team Milram will fold at the end of the 2010 season.
In 2010 the company sponsors racing teams such as Team Van Vliet, Team Jelly Belly and Team NetApp
. They also sponsor mountain bike teams Team M.I.G. (Made in Germany) and an Italian amateur team Focus Italia. The company is also an official partner of the 2010 Tour de Suisse
.
In 2011 the company began sponsoring Team Katusha
, and continued sponsoring Team Jelly Belly and Women's Team VanderKitten.
Cloppenburg
Cloppenburg is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, capital of Cloppenburg District. It lies 38 km south-south-west of Oldenburg in the Weser-Ems region between Bremen and the Dutch border. Cloppenburg is not far from the A1, the major motorway connecting the Ruhr area to Bremen and Hamburg...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and builds sport bicycles such as racing bicycles
Racing bicycle
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale...
and mountain bicycles.
History
The company was founded in 1992 by Mike KlugeMike Kluge
Mike Kluge is a German cyclist. Kluge is a multiple German champion and amateur world champion in cyclo-cross in 1985 and 1987 and professional world champion in 1992....
, cyclocross World Champion. In 1993 the company partnered with the manufacturer Derby Cycle Werke to produce bicycles. In 1994 the first production line brought out 6 varieties of mountain bike. The following year the company expanded to produce touring bicycles
Touring bicycle
A touring bicycle is a bicycle designed or modified to handle bicycle touring. To make the bikes sufficiently robust, comfortable and capable of carrying heavy loads, special features may include a long wheelbase , frame materials that favor flexibility over rigidity , heavy duty wheels , and...
.
In 2003 the company began to produce racing bicycles
Racing bicycle
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale...
and by 2006 the company produced its first carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
frames. In 2008 a joint production effort between Andreas Walser
Andreas Walser
Andreas Walser was a Swiss painter.-References:*This article was initially translated from German wikipedia...
saw the company produce a time trial bicycle
Time trial bicycle
A time trial bicycle is a racing bicycle designed for use in an individual or team time trials raced on roads. Special time trial bikes also exist for use in a velodrome....
and the same year produced a triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
bicycle. In 2009 the company set up subsidiaries in the United States and Italy and began an European wide advertising campaign on Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
TV channel.
Sponsorships & achievements
In 1993 Mike Kluge became German National Champion and runner-up World Champion riding a FOCUS bike.In 1998 Jörg Arenz became the German cyclocross champion on a FOCUS bike.
In 2005 Hanka Kupfernagel
Hanka Kupfernagel
Hanka Kupfernagel is a German professional cycle racer. Currently her primary focus is cyclocross racing, however, she has won major road, track and mountain bike races...
became the cyclocross World Champion on a FOCUS Mares Team bike.
In 2008 four athletes sponsored by Focus won titles at the German Cyclocross Championships for juniors, women, 23-and-under, and elite.
In 2009 the company commenced a partnership with Team Milram
Team MILRAM
Team Milram was a German pro cycling team, participating at the UCI ProTour.The pro cycling team was founded in the beginning of 2006, taking over the UCI ProTeam license of Team Domina Vacanze. The main sponsor is the Milram brand of the Bremen based Nordmilch company...
. They will partner with Team Katusha
Team Katusha
Team Katusha is a Russian road bicycle racing team which participates in the UCI World Tour, using Focus bikes.- History :At the beginning of the 2009 season, the Tinkoff Credit Systems squad was renamed to Team Katusha. It is organised by the Russian Global Cycling Project foundation, which...
for season 2011 since Team Milram will fold at the end of the 2010 season.
In 2010 the company sponsors racing teams such as Team Van Vliet, Team Jelly Belly and Team NetApp
Team NetApp
Team NetApp is a cycling team established in 2010 with a German UCI Professional Continental license that hopes to obtain a ProTour licence in 3 years time.The teams main sponsor is NetApp and in 2010 the team is sponsored by Focus Bikes.-Major results:...
. They also sponsor mountain bike teams Team M.I.G. (Made in Germany) and an Italian amateur team Focus Italia. The company is also an official partner of the 2010 Tour de Suisse
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
.
In 2011 the company began sponsoring Team Katusha
Team Katusha
Team Katusha is a Russian road bicycle racing team which participates in the UCI World Tour, using Focus bikes.- History :At the beginning of the 2009 season, the Tinkoff Credit Systems squad was renamed to Team Katusha. It is organised by the Russian Global Cycling Project foundation, which...
, and continued sponsoring Team Jelly Belly and Women's Team VanderKitten.