I love the guys at my LBS. They are VERY knowledgeable. They know I am a relative beginner and take the time to listen to me and explain things in depth. Moving up from a 10-speed I had been riding for the past 35 years put me way behind on the technology scale. They have a great sense of humor and every visit is a fun experience, as well as instructional. I went clipless last night. They spent over an hour going over all the pedals, the pros and cons, how to clip in and out, which shoes matched which pedals, and then installed everything and showed me how to use them. This was their normal service. I bought my road bike from them last year, not a really an expensive one, but a good one. The owner spent two hours with me on a trainer the first time and a few shorter visits later to get the bike fit just right. They have always been more than patient. Of course, I do pay attention, ask questions in a non-confrontational way, do some research on my own, and try to do what they tell me, so I guess that makes them feel good too. We have 2 dozen bike shops in town (including a chain) and none of the others are as wonderful as these guys are! They even give me grief if I don't come in to say hello to them often enough.