Zunow bicycle?

[Chao-hui]

I was offered a yellow Zunow hummingbird steel 57 cm bicycle frame with fork
for $350. It is apparently a new frame with very good workmanship and
custom clear coated paint job (no decals).

The owner said the bike was made in Japan in early 90's and generally
offered as either frame set or with Dura-Ace group. But I've never heard
of the name, and since it's a bare frame, I can't ride it. Any feedback on
how good that frame is?

[Ronald]

I don't know the brand but 350$ for a ten year old frame sounds like a lot
to me. And you'll almost certain walk into compatibility problems with
modern groups (read hub width etc.).

"Chao-hui" <cha...@email.msn.com> wrote in message
news:O#WKwmCjAHA.235@cpmsnbbsa09...

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

Ronald <jerd...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:95bjil$5dj$1...@porthos.nl.uu.net...

> I don't know the brand but 350$ for a ten year old frame sounds like a
lot
> to me. And you'll almost certain walk into compatibility problems with
> modern groups (read hub width etc.).

What is the "etc"? Rear spacing is the only issue I can think of, and
for steel, 125/6 to 130 is not a problem.

I had a friend with a Zunow. It didn't fit her great but is a good
bike. New nowadays, if they still made them, it'd be like a Gunnar or
LeMond steel quality bike -- retail $5-800 I think. If it fits you well
you and you need a frame, get it.

JT

--

****************************************
Note: reply-to address is munged

****************************************
http://www.jt10000.com/

***************************************

[Mark Hickey]

"John Forrest Tomlinson" <jt1...@notthesewordsbellatlantic.net>
wrote:

>Ronald <jerd...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:95bjil$5dj$1...@porthos.nl.uu.net...
>> I don't know the brand but 350$ for a ten year old frame sounds like a
>lot
>> to me. And you'll almost certain walk into compatibility problems with
>> modern groups (read hub width etc.).
>
>What is the "etc"? Rear spacing is the only issue I can think of, and
>for steel, 125/6 to 130 is not a problem.
>
>I had a friend with a Zunow. It didn't fit her great but is a good
>bike. New nowadays, if they still made them, it'd be like a Gunnar or
>LeMond steel quality bike -- retail $5-800 I think. If it fits you well
>you and you need a frame, get it.

I'm with JT, but would add "and if it's worth $350 to you" to his last
sentence.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

[Ronald]

For the frame you're right (don't hope it has any ten year old sponsors
logo's on it though), but i was also thinking about the ten year old Dura
Ace group, or is that a new one?

"John Forrest Tomlinson" <jt1...@notthesewordsbellatlantic.net> wrote in
message news:i4de6.4367$6w3.6...@typhoon2.ba-dsg.net...

[Sheldon Brown]

I dunno if there's any connection, but back in the '50s, Japanese Zunow
camera lenses were extremely hot stuff. In particular, they made a
super-fast f1.1 lens for low-light use that was only surpassed by the
Canon f.95

Sheldon "Bicycles And Cameras" Brown
+-----------------------------------------+
| Well, the truth is usually just |
| an excuse for a lack of imagination... |
| --Garak, DS-9 |
+-----------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772, 617-244-1040 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

[Alan Thwaits]

Chao-hui wrote:

I'd say you got a good deal.

Late last fall, I bought a Zunow road bike from a bike mechanic friend. It's
mostly Dura Ace equipped, (Campy crank and headset, Mavic front wheel, Campy
rear wheel). Triple-butted, nicely-lugged frame, with some very lovely cut-outs.
I rode the bike for about two weeks before sending it for a custom paint job.

I managed to get in about 800 kms in those weeks. The Zunow felt very nice -
light, nimble, and quick. When I pick it up, I'll add a slightly longer stem,
aerobars, a Brooks Pro saddle, and slightly wider tires for the coming
ultra/randonneur season.

I've done my best to find out more about Zunow. Not a whole lot of success,
except to learn that Zunow made road frames and bikes from the mid-80s to the
mid-90s, then turned to making time-trial frames and bikes. I consulted a
respected local bike shop owner and frame builder who has a long history in both
road-racing and randonneuring, and he said that, in his experience, Zunow made
"some very nice frames, indeed." (He's English, and a man of few words. But I
have a lot of faith in his opinion.)

I also found a Web site with some pictures of Zunow frames. The site is in
Japanese, so you might want to run it through Babelfish to get a (sort of)
translation. The site URL is:

http://www.route999.com/~mtb-kid/zunow.htm

Hope that helps. If you learn any more about Zunow, let me know.

Regards,

Alan Thwaits

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

Ronald <jerd...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:95bpdt$8r8$1...@porthos.nl.uu.net...

> For the frame you're right (don't hope it has any ten year old
sponsors
> logo's on it though), but i was also thinking about the ten year old
Dura
> Ace group, or is that a new one?

The original poster said he heard this brand was typically sold with
Dura Ace, not that the frame he is buying is built up with Dura Ace.