For Sale - Vintage Harry Quinn 'Vigorelli' track bike - The most beautiful bike on LFGSS?

Hello people.

I didn't really ever want to sell this, but as I have moved to rural France I have decided that keeping a bike I never ride and just hang on the wall looking pretty is a bit daft, so it's up for sale.

Conditions of sale:

• The price is the price. No offers.
  
• I will not split.
  
• Pick up is from West Hampstead ON THE FOLLOWING DATES ONLY! 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th
  December 2020. After that I am going back to France, and if it doesn't sell I am taking it with me and keeping it.
  
  

With the admin out of the way, here are the details:

The frame of the bike was made by the legendary Harry Quinn in his shop at 7-9 Walton Road, Liverpool. Arguably Britain's (if not the world's) finest framebuilder, his skills and attention to detail were legendary and his frames lighter than anyone else's.
The frame number is Q2714, and is stamped on the bottom bracket shell.
The top tube is 54cm centre to centre.
The seat tube is 53cm centre to top.

The serial number would indicate the frame was built in the late 60s or early 70s. It has been raced and ridden on the road (I even commuted 24 miles a day on it for a while, but it's not really made for that!) but is still in incredible (and original) condition for a 50 year old machine. It's got the odd marks of course, but it still looks great.

I don't know what the tubing is, but if it's not Reynolds 531 or the Columbus equivalent I would be very surprised. It weighs nothing, and makes a 'ting' sound when you tap it. The fork ends are Campagnolo.
I applied one of DMCZone's '531 Awesome' stickers to the downtube as a tribute to him. Otherwise it's all original.

The angles and clearances are so tight and vertical (for lightness and stiffness) that the front forks are almost straight, and the tyre clearance is such that 23C tyres will rub on the downtube, and some brands won't even fit under the fork crown. You will get toe overlap.

It really is an amazing looking thing, and is finished in a cherry red ‘chromovelato’ finish, which means they chrome plated the entire frame, and then applied a translucent candy finish to the tubes. The fork crown, fork ends, and head tube lugs are chrome. Please note that the colour doesn't come across well in some photos. It really is a shiny red thing, and not a dark maroon one. The indoor photos give a more accurate illustration.

The lugs are ruthlessly cut and filed away for lightness, as is the bottom bracket shell, sometimes with only the lug lining illustrating where the lug ends and the tube begins.
The seat lug in particular is blended seamlessly into the seat tube and the 'shot-in' seat stays at the rear, and looks fabulous.

It's built up as follows:

• Wheels are classic Campagnolo Record Pista on Mavic Open Pro rims.
  
• Bars are Cinelli Criterium 65/42.
  
• Stem is a Cinelli 1A which I think is 100mm.
  
• Crankset is a 1984 Campagnolo Record Pista 165mm with 'Brev' dustcaps, 'patent' chainring bolts and a Campag 48t ring. Can't remember what's on the back but overall gearing is about 70 inches.
  
• BB is Campagnolo Record pista, and because of the cutaway I kept the dust 'bellows'.
  
• Headset is Campagnolo Record strada.
  
• Seatpost is a Campagnolo Record 27.2 twin bolt with milled and painted fluting.
  
• Bar tape is Brooks black leather with the wooden cork bar-end plugs.
  
• Saddles is a Brooks Swallow in black leather, stamped with my name.
  
• Pedals are Time Aliums.
  
• The front fork is drilled for a brake, and I have fitted a modern Campagnolo Mirage dual pivot calliper and a Specialized cross-top lever, which are easily removed for the track. I stripped and polished the lever part so it would look better.
  
• Tyres are Vittoria Diamante Pro Radiale 700c x 22. These are approved for wooden tracks such as Lea Valley.
  
  

Lots and lots of hi-res detailed photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluequinn/albums/72157717240894688/

This bike has been called the prettiest bike on the forum. (not by me. OK, a little bit by me).

If you would like it it will cost you £1500.

Contact by PMs please if you want to buy it.

Cheers!

Laudanum. That is something.

It's in the Harry Quinn Registry

http://classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/Harry_Quinn/HQuinn_registry.htm

Its chromovelato and not flamboyant :), Headset is a Strada :)

Hard sell!

I hope this doesn't sell so you get to keep it and can show them' Frenchies beautiful British craftsmanship...
Where are you headed to?

Ahh, thanks for that info. I’d never heard of that finish.
Strada/pista. I never could tell the difference. It’s the only part that was on the bike when I bought it back in the day that I didn’t change.

Yes! Nice smooth tarmac here. I’m in Charente, near Confolens.

Typical for Wilier Triestina bikes still in production today. If want to know more see here https://officinabattaglin.com/video-how-a-cromovelato-steel-frame-is-actually-made/

Will you take £500 for it?

100% not the most beautiful bike on LFGSS.

all publicity is good publicity

I had no idea HQ was so highly regarded.

Listing reminds me of a carlsberg advert.

Title made me look

glws

agree strongly

Didn't mean to come and slander but even though it is a great example of harry's work, this is definatley not the prettiest bike on the forum.
And I've drilled some forks in my time but drilling that fork is just wrong.
Anyway, glws

Dude congrats on the move. I've got a place just south of Angouleme that i'm trying to retire to in the next year or so if the world will stop conspiring against me. It's a beautiful bike GLWS

It was already drilled when I bought it.

Also, I did put a question mark. But I’ve yet to see any of these prettier bikes 😆

I’d retire there before January unless you already have French residency or an EU passport, because it will be 90 day per year max stays after that.

Yep and don't I know it! A wonderful gift from the Brexit shitshow!

I think it needs camo bar tape.

Ha, when I bought it it had camo bar tape. Blue, orange or white.

It looked shit.

Then there was a highly embroidered Selle Italian saddle. Eww.

I’m in France now. The bike is no longer for sale. Nobody has provided evidence of a prettier one, though, so that’s some vindication.

Err, did you take anything else with you...?

Yes.

Chapeau, looks like there is a very nice velodrome in your neighbourhood! See you for pizza soon as, I’ll bring a fixie and German beer and wine!