One of the biggest reasons I have seen given for shopping at a brick and mortar rather than buying online is the "sizing" issue and "ride before you buy".

I suppose that's a great plan if you fit inside the stereotypical sizing that stores actually stock for. I went to two different bike shops today, cash and trade in hand ready to roll out on a new bicycle. Neither shop had my size or anything even comparable to what I was looking at in my size. One of them didn't even have a representative on the model I wanted to see at all.

Universally, neither of them will "get one in" so I can see and ride it without a purchase obligation. Of the two shops I could likely find another within a forty mile drive to check (after a call), but one of them is 1 of 2 dealers in the WHOLE state, and of course neither has the size I want.

What is the advantage in going to the bike shop over online ordering again?