Harry Quinn road bike

mardave

I have acquired a Harry Quinn road bike and I am wondering how rare the bike is and how old it may be. I am under the understanding that it was a custom built frame, built when Harry Quinn was living in Tenby, Wales. (I am from Wales, UK).
I am however uncertain of the age of it because the components on the bike seem to date to the late 80s and I have been unable to find information about Harry Quinn frames this late. The frame has a sticker stating that the tubing is Reynolds 653 and the frame number, on the bottom of the bottom bracket housing is Q136. The frame is painted flamboyant pink and white and has chromed forks and rear triangle.
The bike has the following components:
Shimano Dura-Ace, 7400 front derailleur, 7401 rear derailleur and downtube shifters. It also has Shimano 600, 6400 crankset and 6401 brake leavers and brakes, which all seem to date around 1987 - 88. I understand that the frame was purchased and fitted with these parts when new. The headset is a Stronglight Spidel and the bars and stem are Cinelli 63 – 40. The bike came with 3 sets of wheels, 2 sets with Mavic GP4 tubular rims, one set on Mitch hubs and the other set on Mavic hubs, both have screw on freewheel hubs. The other set is a set of Mavic MA40 rims on 7400 Dura-Ace hubs, which I cant use because I have not got a cassette and the hub has a freehub body incorporating its own coarse thread, so I cannot convert it to a HG freehub body.
I would much appreciate any information regarding the age and rarity of this bike.

NervexProf

A useful starting point here: http://www.bikebrothers.co.uk/harryquinn_brocure.htm

I attended a one week frame building course, week ending 24 June 1988

The frame number is Q9010.

It is probable that your frame was built at around that time.

The Audax frame I built is a joy to ride and both Harry and Peter were most helpful in guiding this novice through the intricacies of cutting, mitering tubes and the overall design.

The overall reputation of Harry Quinn frames is very high.

Try googling: Harry Quinn

bill reay

See Cycling Plus No 201 October 2007. The 'Retro' section was devoted to Harry Quinn bikes. I've got an early 60s model all original.

custom-freak

Hello this interests me as i have acquired a harry quinn frame as well, i have no history for it and the tubeset badge is missing, it is no q3650 and is pinky red and 20 1/2 inch c-t and seems to be short wheelbase.
haas someone got the order book or something, would love to know what it is, am planning to have it refinished as it is very tatty, and then build it up as my fixie.

Cf

tatanab

Mardave - I think you may have misread your frame number, I think there is a digit missing.

I attended a frame building course with Harry and Peter (his son) in Wales in July 1988 when I built frame number Q9014. The frame is an old fashioned road/track frame built in 653. i.e a track frame with room for mudguards. Harry said how nice it was to see a bare and basic frame since so many were buit for touring etc and bristled with brazed on fittings. 20 years later I still have it.

Your frame being 653 points to mid-late 80s and I would not say it is any rarer than any other small frame builder's work, and more common than some since Harry built for so many years.

I don't know how much longer Peter kept building after 1988, but I do not think it was more than a few years, and I seem to remember that Harry died not many years after.

bill reay

Custom Freak,
I suspect your frame dates from the middle to late 60s. Mine is Q3193 and would have been made at his shop in Walton Road, Liverpool. Most likely 531C with Campag ends.

custom-freak

Thanks bill i guessed that it was a liverpool build one, the ends are campag (although one is a little bent, can they be bent straight?) the build will be documented on this forum although it may be a while before i get started as i am getting married soon!

Cf

mardave

Thanks for the information. I have found out that the frame was custom made for the cyclist in the very late 80s. The frame number is however only 4 digts being Q136 which dont really make sense given the others suggested.

Scouserat

I went on one of his frame building courses back in 93, I got to build a road frame.

Harry and Peter could not have been more helpful, including following me riding to and from his place then telling my riding style was all wrong and adjusting my handlebars and seat and even telling me how i should be turning the gears. After him following me once he told me how i needed my frame to be built he never once looked at my road bike that i was riding. It seemed he had a really good bunch of blokes working for him at the time as well.

I still have the bike on the road now, how many modern bikes can boast still being used 22 years on.

Harry Quinn frames tend to be styled on a track frame, or the ones I have seen are. They have steep angles and can be quite short wheel base, mine is a good 2 to 3 inches shorter than my Cannondale Caad8.

drlodge

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=14687713#p14687713]mardave[/url] wrote:

Thanks for the information. I have found out that the frame was custom made for the cyclist in the very late 80s. The frame number is however only 4 digts being Q136 which dont really make sense given the others suggested.

Very late 80s sounds about right. My 1987 Condor has 531 Professional tubing, and 653 superseded this.

From Wikipedia: 653 was a mixed tubeset which superseded 531 Professional and combined tubings of different steels; cold worked main tubes and 531 rear stays and front forks.

itboffin

Yep another owner here, i cant remember the number of mine but its about early 80s i think, i bought it in Wales in a very poor state, since then it's be stripped, repainted and through several retro builds before ending up running full 10 speed Rival with carbon 1" forks.

ride quality is amazing over my local terrible roads, in fact i even used it this year on the Rapha HOTN mostly off road ride.