Revracer

I have no idea why this seemed like a good idea, likely N+1 or COVID stupidity, but I desired a track bike and was never tempted because the sizes always seemed a bit small. So this Harry Quinn shows up on the 'bay in 62cm seat tube. Transaction happens and I am anxious to put a track/fixie in the stable to vary my rides. My guess based on the S/N of 3273 is that this dates pretty close to 1973ish range.

Is there any logic to build this other than Campy bits? I actually have a fair amount of French bits lying around but I want to build wisely and not regret. I could put Stronglight headset, Stronglight 93 and as long as I figure out wheels I could go ride it. So...wheels? It starts me down this path of everything must actually be Campy. Were there any / many French track parts in 1970s? Does it conflict to build an English frameset with French over Italian?

merziac

I didn't race bicycles but do drag race motorcycles and can tell you that presentation matters, the right stuff and the right look can put the competition on notice and give you a psychological advantage before you ever get to the line, I used it in reverse with stock looking sometimes shabby presentation so they were taken off guard when I brought the whoopin, it served me well.

Track racing seems like it would have been the same, if you showed up with anything less than the best, you probably got less respect, Harry Quinn's were/are a known quantity, I suspect it would have been fitted with the best unless a rider had a strong reason otherwise.

merziac

You'll want to have a look here.

Gold medal in track on a Quinn, you can get info straight from the source.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-restored.html

Revracer

Thanks, that is helpful. To get more granular, if I go Campy, crank, hubs, what rims would be most appropriate? Mavic? Tubular or not? I have a few tubulars and being a track bike (you're not 50 miles from home with a flat) makes a lot of sense.

This frameset is actually amazing in condition IMO. I can just build to ride at the Velodrome in Trexlertown, but it is so tempting to drill a front brake to make for riding in PA rolling hills, but that would be a job for a random fixie.

For context, bikes found their way into my "home office" during this Covid time as art, hence the non-workshop look of this photo.

merziac

No worries and like I said, you can ask in the other thread or PM Gordon directly, this is a very rare, fantastic opportunity to get info straight from the source that rarely comes along, make it so.

Oh, and PS, don't you dare drill that fork.

JeffJbike

Did you end up doing anything with the bike frame?

SurferRosa

When the Harry Quinn track bike gets built
Revracer jumps for joy
Come all without, come all within...

Kilroy1988 

He just posted it today... Patience!

merziac

Yes, patience grasshopper.

repechage

Far from every racer could afford full Campagnolo but would spend where they could

hubs, Campagnolo 36 hole- tubular rims, 195-220 gram tires ( anything less save for Shimano Dura-Ace and you were not taken seriously ) ancient Schwinn track hubs or airlite hubs were OK - very few out there.

headset - what one could afford
seatpost- what one could afford
saddle- plastic unicanitor or leather covered with no padding.
pedals- pista - Campagnolo if you could
I used Lyotard 65 with the ends cut off.
crank- TA or Sugino . Sugino could interchange with Campagnolo rings
I started with Sugino Road with the inside chainring tabs filed away, moved to Sugino track then Campagnolo with Sugino ring

bars and stem- road stem with #65 bars

later I was very lucky and found a Steel Cinelli stem the right length and #16 Cinelli steel bars
so much more secure feeling.

Binda Extra straps. No pulling out.

I hear the current guys at the velodrome with creaky bars and it just scares me.

romperrr 

If you do want to ride it in the street and not drill the fork crown, I've seen clamp on brakes for this very purpose. Dia-compe makes a set

Mr. Spadoni 

If you want this to be a 70’s bike, at least as ridden in the US, all Campy parts are your first choice. It would have been acceptable to show up with Campy clones, especially Zeus. There were a lot of Zeus parts ridden, especially in the NE. They worked well and were a little more affordable. French parts? Not so much. Unless they were on a bike that came from the Paris Sport group, not many were seen.
But if you want to look French, , first check out this pix of Daniel Morelon from the Cyclepunk website. Looks like Campy to me...

Revracer

Indeed Campy seems to be dominant. I happened to see a Stronglight 93 1/8" chainring but could not find much more in the way of track parts. It happened to have a Stronglight 93 available so it was my reason for exploration. Hubs was another area, I could not find much in the way of a Normandy or Maillard track hub, so Campy that will be.

I know Unicantor was suggested as a saddle. Did Brooks ever have a presence at the track? Thinking it was fitting as a British part.

63rickert

It’s British. British build with anything and everything.
At a US track circa 1973 there would be very few bikes seen with other than full Campy.
Yes Brooks saddles would be seen at track. On a proper Brit bike the saddle would be butchered. And it would be narrow. No B.17 Standard allowed
Main reason to not go Campy would be that unless you have a friend or a donor bike Campy Pista has become very dear. Most Campy is super available, not so for Pista.
Have only seen a small handful of Quinns. Every one was a top frame. They were jobbed out but only to a small handful of ace builders.

TimmyT 

@pcb has a Harry Quinn and would probably be interested to see this.

63rickert

Small details. Mavic rims were not well regarded circa ‘73. Pumping out way too many rims to meet bike boom demand and they were erratic. Did not recover any cachet until introduction of the SSC heat treated rim. If you could score those the anachron would not much matter. Otherwise Nisi or Martano would be much more fashionable and old copies of those are still quite available.

Road tubulars were always acceptable for track. Few tracks are all that smooth or have well designed corners. When it got crazy and you needed the bike to handle road tires worked well. Glue them solid.

Track wheels are 36 hole 3 cross. Even those of us who completely believed in the superiority of Union .080/.060 galvanized spokes wanted chrome for track.

Campy is the automatic choice. The Quinn would be stunning with Williams steel cranks, Barelli pedals, Airlite hubs, TDC headset, Brooks saddle. If you can ride them at all try for track stems with a drop. Road stems were of course widely used but the track stems look like track.

merziac

Back then Brooks had a presence any and everywhere, especially on a Brit, nevermind a Brooks is never out of place then or now.

Revracer

That is good advice. I managed to find a Campy Pista Headset and Campy 36h Track Hubs. I am looking at a set of Nisi rims that claim 200g and need washers in a gray anodized finish. I appreciate the feedback on Mavic as they have been my goto vintage brand with GEL330, GP4 and a few MA40s, but willing to try Nisi but want to keep the gray anodized.

Would I be incorrect to assume that saddle and bar tape color rarely went toward brown/honey on a track bike? Somehow I think that a white/black or bright is more fitting for a racer.

Mr. Spadoni 

On rims, if you really want to hunt, Fiamme Yellow Label, the ones with the balsa blocks would be period correct. No matter what rims, try to get the wheels tied and soldered.

Tires? Yes to road tires. Track tires were saved for really big events and couldn’t stand up to heavy use.

repechage

Nothing caught the camera flash better than Chrome spokes under the velodrome lights at night.
Gotta give the Press photographers something.

Nemosengineer 

Charles at Jet Bicycle Wheels does tied and soldered better than anyone on the planet.

https://www.jetbicyclewheels.com/custom-wheels



: Mike

rhm

The Brooks saddle for a track bike is a B17 Sprinter. Properly called a Champion Sprinter, I think. It's narrower than a Champion Narrow, which is of course narrower than a Champion Standard.

The Sprinter is very narrow. No, really, I mean narrow. Seriously. Narrow.

63rickert

Brown or honey would be never. A few would use colored tape if it coordinated tightly with the frame. Most would be on plain black. This is right about the time when white began to be seen as “photographing better” and became popular. With white tape you will need to replace frequently.

Since you do seem interested in being correct - track gear is 46x14. 47x14 is for big riders and late season. 48x14 is for national champs and 49x14 just maybe for world champs. Pursuiters could go bigger but not for mass start. This is also just about the time when 3/32 chain and road rings became acceptable. Rings would be 52,53, 54 because you had a supply of those and then paired with a 16 cog. 52x16 definitely ran smoother than 46x14. For warmup and training smaller gears always. Use old chain with rivets, you will be adjusting chain length. Snap links are used currently and break all the time currently. Current track gearing is nuts and has terminated the sport IMO.

St33lWh33ls

First, beautiful frame, a Brooks Professional would look great.

63rickert

Bikes that don’t make you happy are bikes that don’t get ridden. By all means make it a color you like. Those were good bikes and should be used.

Wet paint for me but it’s yours. Just don’t use the Olympic bands. Those were for Olympians. Paramount Room would not use them for repaints if the current owner was not an O.