Lossy data import with osm2pgsql?

As someone mentioned to me looking in the source code of osm2pgsql, i did and found a file called “default.style”. This file seems to be very interessting to me, because i think osm2pgsql looses some valueable information/tags when importing to postgres, as for example the tag cycleway is being lost.
What do i need to do to keep this tag (and others)? Is it only editing this file “default.style” or do i have to do more?

If anyone can help me…?

Regards
Sven

Osm2pgsql is obviously done for importing just that part of OSM data that is needed for making the Mapnik slippy map layer. Osm2pgsql for windows is importing a few more tags than Linux version (at least they were not imported in January when osm2pgsql.exe was done):

  • shop
  • is_in
  • historic
  • int_ref
  • postal_code
  • telephone
  • address
  • URL

Additional tags must be hardcoded, I think. In the PostGIS end osm2pgsql creates very wide point, line and polygon tables with own column for each imported tag. This is just fine for Mapnik rendering and for playing with OSM data in PostGIS, but for special needs it would be nice to have another more easily configurable tool. But what osm2pgsql can do, that it does very well and fast. That must be essential for importing the whole world for rendering each week.