---
title: "Blackthorn Cycles — frequently asked"
description: "Answers Blackthorn Cycles publishes, in the same words the assistant uses."
last_updated: 2026-09-19
---

# Blackthorn Cycles — frequently asked

Source: https://helpscout.demo.busymate.ai/faq

> Answers Blackthorn Cycles publishes, in the same words the assistant uses.

## Frequently asked

### Will you work on an old bike, or just sell me a new one?

We will work on it. About a third of what comes through the door is older than the mechanic working on it. The only time we say no is when a frame is cracked or a fork is bent, and then we say so plainly rather than quoting around it.

### Do you quote before starting?

Always, and it is the one rule the shop does not bend. A job is looked at, quoted, and only started once you have said yes. If something else is found halfway through, the bike stops and you get a call before another cent is spent.

### How long does a wheel build actually take?

Five working days if the rim is in stock, ten if it has to come in. The build itself is a couple of hours; the rest is letting the tension settle and re-checking it, which is the part that decides whether the wheel is still true next spring.

### Is a workshop plan cheaper than paying as you go?

Commute pays for itself if you get more than two tunes a year, which most daily riders do. Ride is worth it the moment you use the full service. Workshop only makes sense with three or more bikes — with one, Ride is the honest answer.


## Sitemap

Every page on this site: [sitemap.md](https://helpscout.demo.busymate.ai/sitemap.md)