Harry Quinn bikes ?
 

I found one of these for sale for a tempting price and wondering what the consensus is on them overall ?

Exceptional. One of UK's finest.

I owned one, was fun, a criterium weapon, 37.25" wheelbase, TONS of overlap.
I stripped the paint after a bad airplane ride. GAPS on EVERY lug.
The painter at least in my case was Harry Quinn's friend.

I did look at one a few months ago, "cheap" but replacement fork and crash damage on the top tube. Seller did not know or played unaware.
Size was bigger than stated, I passed. Hideous respray.

I visited Harry Quinn in Liverpool when I was learning to build frames in England in 1975. The most fascinating detail he provided was how fast he could make a frame. When I was there he said he was making his 2nd one that day. He did have a helper. While the speed is super impressive, it also means he didn't take extra time fussing with details. They have a workmanlike quality to them. At Ellis Briggs where I was, Andrew the journeyman builder and myself would take the better part of week making one.

His father started a frame business in 1890. Harry had a couple of older brothers that had a separate frame building business in Liverpool. His oldest one said he started when he was 13 before WWI. I wished I had asked them more questions.

they did have the advantage of being in the images of Cycling weekly in the UK's race coverage - almost every issue in the mid 70's.
Smart graphics to be seen and read in even poor quality newsprint.
Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.

Was the first bike I saw that had a fender washer brazed to the inside of a Campagnolo vertical dropout.
(not exclusive, but some effort)
on my bike to be able to remove the rear wheel without tire deflation the lower forward portion of the horizontal Campagnolo dropout was ground away about 3 mm.
Clever.

My brother had Harry build him a frame in 1971 and Harry gave him the tour of the shop. The bike was assembled with Campagnolo components, Brooks saddle, Cinelli bar and stem. The bike came to Canada in 1978 and was used as a daily commuter for many years. Any maintenance was done by Bicyclesport in Toronto (Michael Barry senior). The frame has seen better days and has scrapes and rust, both inside and out. I tried my best to clean and lubricate the bike this summer. The stickers for Harry Quinn on the downtube and seat tube are very worn. My brother's name on the top tube is intact. Both Harry Quinn logos are intact (seat tube and head tube) and are for the Walton Road address. The serial number begins with Q and based on the Classic Rendevous registry of serial numbers indicates in was made in 1971. The Campagnolo equipment is in almost new condition and working perfectly. The seat post could not be removed so I decided to be careful and not try any more aggressive methods to remove it. I had to replace the brake hoods which had virtually disintegrated. My brother cannot remember if he ordered Columbus tubing or Reynolds 531. Any stickers that would help on the bike are gone. Is there a way to identify the tubing used without stickers?

I will post some pictures once I have reached my requirement of 10 posts.

In 1971, most likely Reynolds

For a smaller UK builder 531 medium strait gage or or 4120 chro-mo would be likely. Both very good tube sets.

Thanks for the feedback!

Why Wait?
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1b5f229f88.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...33d901046b.jpg

Album

Nice bike.
straightforward.
a few years later the requests for cutout lugs and bottom brackets would show up more often.
mine also had the “shot in stays”

I saw this thread and just had to contribute
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...57119a27e1.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...90f41d0e4b.jpg

Very nice pictures ! More information about my brother's bike - the serial # is Q2971 so it appears that my brother's frame was made 1972, not 1971. He does not remember the year or date of purchase.

Also, based upon another thread suggestion, we checked the bottom end of the fork opening and it has no raised notches what may indicate it is Reynolds 531, not Columbus.

The dates make sense, my chrome bike is a Q2737 and I know it was a late 1970 or early 1971.

Harry Quinn frames
 

Hi, I’ve only just joined but currently have 3 of there frames, one for summer, one for winter plus a spare frame, unfortunately l had to sell my first one when l got married 50 odd years ago. They are great frames, yes old fashion but l wouldn’t change them for any of the modern designs. I remember someone named Dale (can’t remember full name at present) having some lovely photos including a couple of mine. Don’t think l can post photos until I’ve been a member for some time.
Hope that’s of interest.
Regards Norman

Hi Norman, I look forward to seeing pictures of your bikes once you have reached the 10 post minimum.

Maybe Dale Brown? Of classicrendezvous?
I owned an raced a Quinn decades ago, fun bike. Mine was of the ultra short wheelbase type Criterium weapon. Foolish were the competitors who tried to pedal through a corner as I did.

[As the thread has already been derailed:]

The brand name "Harry Quinn" has since come down in the world. It's now a Japanese brand for cheap, presumably Chinese machines.

The same Japanese company applies a miscellany of car brands to other cheap bikes. One of these is "Rover", which I find blackly humorous somehow.