A rare bird, is a Zunow. We’ve only seen one before on the pages of Cycle EXIF — plumed with characteristically garish paint — but this example is the real deal. Owned by Sophie Ballo and it won the award for Best Japanese Bicycle at the 2013 Bicycle: Art Meets Form show.
This is Sophie’s pride and joy, and it’s no wonder. Kageyama was an eccentric Japanese frame builder who worked from the mid-60s to the early 2000s. Apparently, Zunow translates to ‘genius’ — an apt brand name — and this, one of Kageyama’s early frames, is a fine example of his work.