Sir Bradley Wiggins selling four vintage guitars - to make room for more

Fancy getting your hands on a piece of rock and roll history with a cycling twist? Well, you can with the news that Sir Bradley Wiggins is selling four Epiphone guitars from his collection.

Two of the guitars for sale are Casino models – favoured by Wiggins’ idol, Paul Weller, from respectively 1961 and 1964. George Harrison and John Lennon of the Beatles also used them.

– That's Entertainment - Bradley Wiggins jams with Paul Weller at Crisis Presents gig

The others are Al Caiola Custom models, named after the New York City based jazz guitarist and session musician who played alongside stars such as Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Simon & Garfunkel. Those guitars are from the late 1960s.

They’re being sold through London’s New Kings Road Vintage Guitar Emporium, which posted pictures of Wiggins with the instruments on its Facebook page.

According to a source quoted by the Mirror, which says the guitars are worth around £5,000 each. “Bradley’s guitar collection has swelled in recent months, so he’s having a clear-out to make room for new acquisitions.

"He may be a world-famous sportsman, but he also harbours the fantasy of being a rock star – so loves to live it out with the best kit.

“His taste is regarded as very good by experts and even music stars have a beady eye on his collection.”

Among guitars Wiggins might have his eye on at the same dealer are a 1956 Gibson Les Paul TV special, owned by the late John Entwistle of The Who – it’s selling for a cool £10,950.

In 2008, after winning in Beijing the second and third of his four Olympic gold medals, the future Tour de France champion spoke to the Obeserver about his obsession with guitars.

He said: “This has been a long-term mainstay. I've got about nine now: a gorgeous Epiphone Sheraton, a Gibson SG, a beautiful pale white Fender Stratocaster with gold pick-ups, all sorts.

“I'm after an Epiphone Casino at the moment, a vintage one from the Sixties or Seventies, when John Lennon played one. Not one he played, of course, because that would be in the millions now, but something with a story to it would be really nice.

“I'm self-taught on the guitar but my wife says I'm quite good. But there's good, and then there's good. It's like cycling, the real thing is getting out and playing live. Let's see how good you are at cycling: get up and do a pursuit in the Olympic final and see what time you can do.

“Everyone's a rock star in their own bedroom,” added Wiggins, who is currently racing in the Tour of Britain – a sentiment with which anyone who has held a hairbrush in their hand while singing away to their favourite songs will agree.