Originally Posted by
zoltani
REI bike dept is great IMO, good service, friendly, knowledgeable, and you can return the bike if it doesn't end up suiting your needs
From what I've heard (and seen), it depends on the store. I can highly recommend the REI in Bailey's Crossroads, VA, right outside of DC. Tell them you're doing a loaded tour 'cross the country. They did a bang-up job setting me up, and the wheels stayed true and the spokes didn't break. (Unlike the Atlanta REI, where they let me roll it out, and spokes started breaking within 500 miles.)