Damaged Steel Headtube

General Help
1

I picked up a cheapo touring frame from a US online store.

it arrived with a VERY slight indent/flat spot in the top bearing seat of the headtube (see picture, bottom right). I’m assuming this was due to the headstube having only some soft foam and the side of the box getting a bit beaten.

I really couldn’t be f’ed returning it, would this be fixed by refacing it or should I try bending it back with a metal tube/blunt object?

In my mind, the chris king headset will still probably fit in, but i don’t want to deform a good headset as I’d assume the cups will bend before the headtube.

Halp! Thoughts?

2

Maybe Spiz can help on this one?

3

This will be shit advice, but my McBain had a similar flat spot and I just installed the headset as is and I’ve never had a problem.

Of course, I can only ride in a straight line, but that’s not important…

4

I’d assume this may also be the case with this, the flat spot seems so minimal that I’m tempted just to install the headset and see.

5

Seems plenty of meat there. ream/ face / install.

6

Get a piece of bar stock aluminum and round the end so it matches the radius of the tube. Then belt on it with a hammer to bend it back in to shape

7

Because of the headset or just natural ability?

8

nah, his commute is just that simple… #royalpdelyf

9

My commute has one corner. I’m not kidding :slight_smile:

10

Fixed a few like this. Have used the handle of a pedal wrench a few times. Nice and round with good diameter.

  • joel
11

So I ended up using an old steerer tube and a hammer to knock the flat spot to a little bit more round.

Headset went in fine.

/thread.