I’ve been long overdue in sharing this restoration of my wife’s Zunow KYGM randonneur bike.  Originally acquired via Yahoo Japan auctions in 2020, it is a sibling of my own Zunow randonneur bike and an example of Kageyama-san’s early full-custom work.  Dating from the early 1970s, it is in the style of classic French randonneur bicycles, complete with Nervex lugs, 650B wheels, and Gilles Berthoud handlebar bag.  I wrote about the bike and its history in detail in this article from 2022.

After the initial build was complete, the plan was to put a few hundred miles on it to confirm it fit before kicking off a restoration.  She loved riding it so much that two years passed by quickly.

As 2024 rolled around, I promised myself that I would have it ready for her birthday in February.  That winter, I had it professionally repainted in a beautiful dark blue sparkle with yellow accents.  After the new paint, I began the rebuild, with help from Dave Perry at BikeCult.  Dave did a great job building the wheels and installing the fenders. Read on for all the details and a gallery of photos!

The bike features a number of Zunow pantographed parts, including the seatpost, headset, and bottom bracket.  I retained the original Sugino Pro Dynamic S crankset, but added modern SunXCD chainrings for better shifting.  The drivetrain is a mix-and-match of Campagnolo parts, with a 9-speed “Racing T” rear derailleur, Chorus Ergoshifters, Athena hubs, and a Centaur front derailleur.  The 650B wheelset uses Soma Weymouth rims and Grand Bois “Hetre” tires.

Grand Bois also made the cantilever brakes, which were sold by Velo-Orange as their “MK3 Grand Cru cantilever” in 2012.  They’re apparently no longer available, with both companies moving on to different models.  I opted for the Grand Bois brakes over my usual Dia-Compe Grand Compe 999 model, as they have all the same modern adjustability, with a classier profile.  The cantilever hangers were a cool vintage find from Japan; I don’t know the maker but they look great and work well.  To improve braking response, I used Yokozuna compression-less brake housing and Kool-Stop brake pads.

The fenders were another vintage find, this time from France.  They are authentic Lefol “le martele” hammered mudguards with the distinctive “No. 17 plate-forme” raised portion on the rear fender.  They first debuted in 1938, although I suspect this pair was likely made in the 1950s or 60s.  I bought them in 2015, and they sat in the corner of my shop for almost a decade before I polished them, restored all the fittings, and attached them to this bike.

On to the cockpit: I have many Zunow-pantographed stems in my collection, but my experience on my State gravel bike showed me that I actually prefer a more upright riding position.  To match that fit, I tried out the infamous Nitto “Tallux” with an extra-long 225mm quill.  It’s “infamous” as some folks think it disrupts the visual lines of a classic bike, but as these photos show, I don’t think it’s out of place on this bike.  In any case, I can’t argue with the fit.  Having outfitted both of our Zunow randonneurs with Tallux stems, my wife and I genuinely enjoy the improved fit.  One day I’ll have to ship them off to get them custom pantographed… The saddle is a Brooks C17, which we equip all of our bikes with now.

The leather handlebar tape is from “Handlebra” by Ray Schmidt.   I’m not sure if he’s still in business, but he makes the very best bar tape I have ever used.  It’s made in small batches from the best quality leather that he hand-selects.  Once you try Handlebra, all other options from Brooks, Gilles Berthoud, etc. pale in comparison.  Seriously, you have to try it!  Under the tape is a layer of gel padding, and the handlebars are Nitto B135 “Grand Raundoner” (yes, that’s how they spell it on the bars).  The bar tape is finished with hemp twine in the classic “Rivendell” style – instructions on how to do this are found here.

Who made the front rack is a bit of a mystery; the only marking is a sticker that says “18_8 Stainless.”  It’s part of a set of front & rear that has removeable low-rider racks, similar to the Nitto “Campee” model.  I bought a two sets from Japan several years ago, one for each Zunow randonneur bike.  The headlight and tail lights are made by Kylie, a Taiwanese bike light maker.  The headlight is the LM-018 model, which is the only USB-rechargeable “bullet style” headlight available.  The rear is a LM-017, and attaches to the seat stay.  We don’t do a lot of night riding, so instead of dealing with a dynamo hub and wiring, I have opted for rechargeable lights.  In the top right, you can see a close-up for the Zunow headset and the Nitto “Fairweather” brake cable hanger.

There you have it – another beautiful restoration, and a fulfillment of a dream of my wife and I riding together on our matching Zunows.  She’s put a lot of miles on this bike already, and we look forward to sharing many more together.  Here’s a last photo, taken on the porch of a cute AirBnb where we spent our anniversary in 2024: