On three different occasions over the past year, I browsed through the bikes at REI and each time had a different salesguy spend a lot of time with me answering questions and explaining things. The third time, I was test-riding bikes and that guy adjusted and adjusted and watched me ride and adjusted more and probably spent an hour with me riding various ones, as he adjusted and/or explained things to me.

Then I went to one of the LBSs and couldn't get the guy to do anything more than answer questions with short answers, and look over my shoulder to see what else was going on. (There were other employees in the store -- he wasn't the only one so there was no need for him to be more interested in everything else that happened than talking to me.) Yet, while I was there I bought a helmet, a bike lock and a couple of other things, even though I didn't feel totally sure that I was buying the "right" helmet or the "right" bike lock.

I decided at that point that if I bought my bike locally I'd get it from REI because those guys aren't on commission (or so I was told) and still gave me better service than the guy at the LBS.

Instead we bought our bikes online because my husband wanted shaft drive bikes (not available anywhere except online or catalog). I decided I didn't like my helmet and went back to the LBS to exchange it. The same guy waited on me -- and this time he spent time answering questions, adjusting the helmet, etc., etc.

I have no idea why he was attentive the second time and not the first. I feel better about going there now, for sure, but I'll still pick up some stuff from REI, since I do get that credit/dividend at the end of the year.

I generally believe in supporting the local businesses, and in fact we'll pay more for products that are made in the USA instead of China. Somehow, I still like shopping at REI, though.