The overwhelming consensus to questions about what bike should I get is go to your LBS and test ride them, since that's the only way you'll get a good idea of fit and feel etc. I completely understand this.

But, does anyone have any advice when the bike-buyer in question is a newbie rider (who's terrified of riding on the roads and hasn't been on a bike of any kind in about 20 years) with access only to LBSs in the middle of a big city and hence on big, scary roads with huge intersections and heavy traffic?