Hey, it’s me, Konno from Cook Paint Works.

I got a very special project to share with you today!

Around the end of May, my friend and industry peer, Jonathan Pucci came to Japan.

Allow me to introduce you to my friend Pucci.

He started painting bicycle frames at the studio of legendary American painter Joe Bell, and these days, this handsome devil does everything from bicycle paintwork to large-scale murals. He’s also a huge fan of Japan. We met when he traveled here two years ago, and since we’re both part of a pretty small circle of people doing this kind of work, we hit it off right away.

(JB, Pucci’s mentor, is a legendary painter known for painting Rivendell custom bikes, Richard Sachs frames, and many others.)

He’s also a full-blown Japan nerd, especially when it comes to anime, movies, Japanese food, and Taro Okamoto. Whenever we went out to eat together, he was up for trying pretty much anything.

At the beginning of this year, I got an email from him with saying: “Let’s team up on a paint collaboration!”

The two frames we worked on together painting are the CR1 and ALUMAX II, both were unveiled at MADE 2025.

As its full name, “Country Road” suggests, the CR1 is a road bike built around mid-reach caliper brakes, with clearance for UltraDynamico CAVA tires up to 700×39c. The frames are made by Larkin Cycles!

The ALUMAX II is the latest evolution of the previously released Alumalith and Alumax. It switches from direct-mount center-pull brakes to cantilever brakes and offers clearance for tires up to 700×55c. It’s a gravel road bike built around an aluminum frame and chromoly fork.

Both frames are just right for the cooler riding season ahead, as the summer heat begins to ease.


Pucci taught me the JB-style painting method.

A hook is welded onto a seatpost, which is then inserted into the seat tube and suspended from a wire. This means you don’t have to crouch down or constantly move around the frame, and you can work while standing upright. It makes the painting process much easier and, most importantly, it’s a lot better on your back.

(The seatpost painting jig was welded up by Shamy btw.)

With the primer-surfacer finished, it’s finally time to lay down some color.

For the paint, we worked together using a color palette proposed by Pucci.

We mixed four colors yellow, orange, lavender, and blue and used them to create two-color fades, with the logos painted in separate colors.


I had always worked alone. But with the best possible helper joining me, the quiet workshop was suddenly filled with energy and laughter. It was such a fun experience. (It reminded me about exchange programs in school days.)

Since I’m not exactly fluent in English, communication wasn’t always easy. But before long, we were completely in sync, each of us instinctively knowing what needed to happen next and moving without having to say a word.

The mikan orchard apron Pucci is wearing was something he found in a trash can while traveling in Ehime before coming to Tokyo. He added a pocket and customized it into a work apron.

When I told him that mikan means orange as in the color, he looked pretty stoked.


The frames feature three logos: the COOK logo that I normally use on my custom paint jobs, along with Cicli Pucci and Blue Lug.

Since Pucci is originally from Italy, he uses the Italian name Cicli Pucci for his logo.


Tada! We’re done!
Let me show you the Alumax II, first.


The overall theme of the paintwork was “the colors of the sky during magic hour at dusk,” and each frame was painted with that image in mind.

The first color scheme is a two-tone fade from yellow to orange, with the colors divided between the upper and lower halves of each tube.

It captures the way the sky gradually turns orange as the sun sinks toward the horizon.

The yellow and orange may look like solid colors at first, but both contain pearl, so they sparkle when the sunlight hits them.

We named this paint scheme Sunset Fade.

The second color scheme is a fade from purple to blue.

This one is also inspired by the changing colors of the sky at dusk, with the fade capturing the transition from sunset into night.

We named this color Moonlight Fade.

Pearl was added to these colors as well, giving the finish a subtle sparkle when it catches the light.

Next up, the CR1!!


We used the same paint for the CR1, but changed the fade pattern.

While the fade on the Aumax II has a more sharply defined transition, the colors on the CR1 blend slowly and gradually into one another. The way the colors gently shift across the frame looks really good.

(We each signed our names on the steerer tube!)

Shamy got himself the CR1 with Moonlinght Fade. He is 163cm tall with a 65vm saddle height and chose an XS frame size

It sounds like Shamy has plenty of his own ideas for the build, including a special stem made to match the bike.

For the full details, let’s stay tuned for more from Shamy himself.

*RON'S BIKES* CR1 (S)

I’d actually had my eye on the CR1 ever since last year’s MADE show. And if I was going to collaborate with Pucci, I had to build one for myself! So I built mine up in a different color from Shamy’s.

I’m 171 cm tall and ride a size S, with a saddle height of 70 cm.

For the tires, I went with the UltraDynamico CAVA in 700×39c, of course.

Until now, I’d only ever ridden pure road bikes with 23c tires, so I was amazed by the plush ride of a road bike with 39c tires. The tires themselves are light, so the bike never feels sluggish. It rolls beautifully and is incredibly easy to ride.

(Our two CR1s are currently on display at the Kamiuma shop, so feel free to stop by and take one for a test ride.)

*RON'S BIKES* CR1 (S)
*RON'S BIKES* CR1 (S)

I used an 11-speed Campagnolo Chorus groupset that I already had, with wheels built around Onyx hubs and Mavic rims.

Like Ronnie and Pucci, I’m a Campy fan, so I knew from the start that this was the combination I wanted if I ever built a CR1.

For the top cap, I chose a Shovel Research TC-1.

According to Pucci, Sal from Shovel Research also used to live in San Diego. He would often stop by JB’s paint studio, use the sandblaster, and make things together with them. They’re old friends.

That made me want to include something from Shovel Research on the CR1, and the top cap was the one place I could make it work, so I went for it.

It may seem like a small detail, but as someone who makes things, I can’t help feeling happy when connections between creators find their way into a bike like this. I love choosing components and making decisions through stories and relationships like these. To me, that’s one of the most interesting parts of building a bike.

The CR1 and ALUMAX II from this special collaboration with Pucci will be available in limited quantities.

In-store : September 5th (Sat) 12:00pm
Online : September 7th (Mon) 7:00pm

We also have special soft goods along with the special painted frames.

We chose a Fabios Clap Trap, one of the more compact bags in the Ron’s Bikes lineup, in a color that matches the paint.

It fits neatly between road drop bars and is just the right size for carrying everything you need on a weekend ride.

The familiar tulip-pattern cycling caps and bandanas will also be available in two special colors!

They’re ride essentials in my book, so if you’re picking up a CR1 or ALUMAX II, you’ll definitely want to grab these as well.

This has turned into a long post, but that wraps up the special collaboration items from Pucci, Ron’s, and Cook Paint Works

This feels like one of those dream collaborations we could have wished for but never expected to actually happen. We hope you’ll take this special opportunity to see the collection for yourself.

Arigato Pucci and Ronnie!!