Recollections of Quinn bikes

[themightyw]

What a beautiful bike! I recently (2 days ago) found out that Harry Quinn is a distantish great uncle of mine, and having recently got into cycling I'm definitely going to try to track one down. With no idea of how to sensitively refurb a bike I'll doubtless be on here loads asking for advice!

I'm also going to set up a websie dedicated to the Quinn dynasty's bikes, and will let people know on here when I get started.

It's a joy to see so many people still enjoying these creations

 

[mavesyn]

Great picture, old ned.
You certainly look like you have some speed up.
Did you buy the bike from Harry Quinn or second hand?. I've seen the picture of your good self, on Classic lightweights uk website, riding a Soens. You've certainly owned some fine Liverpool made bike's.
Mike.

 

[orbeas]

Harry Quinn

so many memories of days spent at Walton road, when I first met harry to discuss my first ever X bike he said to bring my old one, first thing he said when he say it was " do you like riding a farmers field gate " he could not believe the length of the wheel base, " why not use a road bike with cantilevers on??" so the first radical british X bike was built, as the years went on designs changed, I had to use Zeus equipment and they did not make cantilevers, so Harry got some centre pulls threw away everything apart from the 2 arms, turned cantilever brackets 90 deg and bolted on the arms, Zeus cross brakes.
Then we started making the frames lighter 531 made way for 531 SL no 753 then. and then one in reynolds super light pursuit tubing with a 531 DB down tube. think the lighest was made from bits of all sorts, with many hours spent at Ron Kitchings with a balance and lots of drilling of alloy parts my cross bikes were always under 20 lb in weight in 1970.

remember one sat in the workshop, and asked him what the frame in the jig was, "its Willie Moores Olympic frame " was just tubes pushed together waiting to be brazed. then it went on to win an Olympic medal.

 

[Old Ned]

I bought it new. I rode to Liverpool from Wrexham to order it from the great man and an uncle took me over to collect it a few weeks later on a Friday. Saturday I built it up and Sunday I rode out to Cheshire on it carrying my race wheels (as we did in those days), rode a Junior 25, got third place, and rode home. I've a photo taken in the event but it's not scanned in (yet!).

One of the 'problems' with the frame was that I had my club name - Wrexham Whs. - painted on the down tube and the next year I moved to Wrexham RC. This meant a slightly 'amateurish' paint job changing the Whs to RC which shows up in some photos. I didn't do it again!

BTW, I had the Quinn, an Eddie Soens and a James Fothergill early in my career and picked up another 'hack' HQ in the late 70's.

This photo was taken in a 3-up TT and I was at the front. I've cropped the other two out!

 

[themightyw]

Great stuff folks. Is it worth one of the mods moving this to a differet forum since it's now moved on a tad?

 

[mavesyn]

Old Ned and Orbeas, great stories.....
Mr Quinn, seemed to be quite a down to earth chap. I love the sound of
a olympic frame, sitting in the corner, waiting to be brazed up, just the same as any other frame. Brilliant stuff.
Mike.

 

[rossco]

Recollection of Quinn bikes

themightyw - I have an RJ Quinn frame that could be for sale, not sure what size it is, or age. Don't really no a great deal about it.

I'll dig it out and measure it up, I'll try and post some pics up on this thread.
Get round to it asap.

If interested, you'd be welcome to come and take a look. I am in Runcorn, the frame is stored near Warrington. Where abouts are you?