I need to be sure I don’t buy the incorrect tool. Can anybody tell me what is the head tube reaming and facing tool need it for this headset.
34mm Headset 1-1/8" Threadless MTB Road Bike Sealed External Bearings Headset US | eBay
I’m new to frame building so please be as much specific as you can (part number, any specific brand etc etc) There are too many options and I’m confused. Thanks, in advance.
You just need one that’s 34mm, for example the below. Then you will also want the handle, and a cone, which seem to be sold separately. Links below.
Thank you so much
It’s 2026 though and you might want to consider if you want to build with 34mm or 44mm headtubes.
That headset listing on eBay is quite confusing. The frame shown in the listing will not take that headset. So I hope you’re not going by the pictures. It’s almost as if the seller doesn’t know what they’re selling.
If you’re going to spend the time building a frame, and the money buying a reaming tool (plus all the other tools you need), you might as we’ll spend a little extra money on a higher quality headset.
And like @Alex said, you may also want to consider using a more modern/current headtube standard, such as 44mm. Unless old school is your thing, of course. Because if you change your mind later on, the money spent on that 34mm reamer may be wasted, plus you’d need to buy another one for a 44mm HT later.
I use 34mm on basically everything except when I’m using 30 
By the way, if you buy your headtube from Reynolds, it won’t need reaming. You will still want to face it though.
@guy153 What about heat distortion from welding or brazing?
30mm and 34mm are great standards for steel forks (30mm is plenty strong and lighter for most use cases). 44mm has become the norm for suspension and carbon forks. There is nothing in this thread about what fork will be used, which is why I brought up the newer standard. I would never build a modern MTB around 34mm.
I TIG all my frames it’s never been a problem with the Reynolds head-tubes. They probably do ovalize a bit, but it doesn’t matter, because the bearings just press in. They aren’t so hard to get in that you’re concerned that you’re squashing the race, and you can always adjust the headset fine.
It’s not like a seat-tube where you really do need it to be perfectly round so that you can get a good grip all the way around the seat-post without it slipping down (and Reynolds seat-tubes are supplied with an undersized ID and they do need reaming).
So it’s a system I’m very happy with and has saved me ever buying a 34mm reamer.
My only advise is make sure you have the headset on hand so you can ream to the full insertion depth of the cup. Sounds obvious I know but I’ve seen reamers that only cut ~10mm deep and a lot of cups go in 12-14mm. It’s an annoying thing to find out while pressing a cup in!
A bit of a hack but you actually can “ream” a HT with emery tape wrapped around something round and held in an electric drill. Try to do it as evenly as you can. It won’t be perfectly round, but that doesn’t actually matter for a HT. Just don’t let Hambini get his hands on it.
I think we’ve covered this already, but I think if someone’s asking for advice, we should be promoting best practices and not hacks. If you weld or braze, your headtube is going to be out of round. If you then press a cup into it, that’s also now going to be out of round as it’ll deform. So I have no doubt that you can press a cup in without reaming, but that doesn’t make it best practice. I understand that you have been able to install and adjust a headset, but I guarantee the life of the headset (bearings) will be compromised. There are a huge number of shortcuts and compromises we can make while framebuilding, but I think we should be able to do better.
So I have no doubt that you can press a cup in without reaming, but that doesn’t make it best practice.
It can’t be that bad or Reynolds would not supply their head-tubes with exact-sized IDs. If you ream their head-tubes they will end up oversized and you will need to use loctite to keep the bearing in.
But yes you are right in principle and if you have the reamer (and no other reason to use Reynolds head-tubes) you might as well get one that’s undersized and ream it.
Reaming with the correct size reamer isn’t going to ream oversize*. If that’s happening, then you’re doing something wrong. Also, this is less about size and more about roundness. That’s why you should be reaming.
You need to face the head tube too so I don’t know why you wouldn’t just ream it at the same time and do it properly.
*Assuming a sharp tool and not a crazy thinwall tube and accidentally bulge-forming it.
If you started with a 34mm HT and it got ovalized, and then you ream it, you will end up with an average diameter a bit more than 34, and that may result in a loose headset (but not all headsets are perfectly sized either). So if using a Reynolds HT I recommend pressing the headset in first. If it feels right– you have to press it in but not with excessive force– then I’d just go with that. Yes you should certainly always face it. But you don’t have to ream it at the same time. I just use an aluminium plug on the reaming/facing tool that fits nicely inside the ID to keep everything square.
And that can only really happen, when you begin with a headtube already on the final diameter before welding. For example one of those Reynolds HTs. Which will also warp and ovalize if you weld enough stuff only to one side.
If however you started off with an undersized headtube, this does not happen. Or at least not as easily, because you have more material to work with.
Yes exactly. If you want to ream your HT, don’t buy a Reynolds one! It works for me, has saved me a few £££ on the reamer, and I’m just reporting what I’ve found. Purists should get their HTs from Columbus etc. and do the ream.
I was surprised myself when I first discovered this about Reynolds HTs but then I saw recently that the Paterek manual also mentions it. So they’ve been doing it like this for a long time. It goes without saying that they’re one of the most respected brands in cycling.
Agreed. Thank you.
Where can I buy these components in the U.S.? Cyclus and BikeParts don’t ship to the U.S., and I’m trying to avoid paying us$ 500 for Park Tool prices.
Is there anywhere to get these tools at a more reasonable price, or an alternative that actually ships to the U.S.?