I think I would never have been able to enter the wonderful world of road bike cycling had I stayed on the route upon which LBS act as gatekeepers since they recommended the wrong product (an aluminium hybrid), and priced the right product (a nice flexible carbon framed road bike) above my budget.
So while I would have liked to be patriotic, and avoid being cheap, I don't think it would have been financially possible. I got my first carbon framed bike online from Taiwan for 1500 USD (not much more than the AL hybrid which I did not enjoy riding) at which price my wife baulked. The LBS were asking about twice that for their Carbon Treks, I think.
My LBS 'friend' got angry with me for purchasing a bike online, even though I took it in for a c. 100USD tune up as soon as I got it. I have not been back in the 12 years since. I lost a 'friend,' and 8kg in weight.
I wish them all the best, and that I had ditched them earlier. If everyone got their bike online, my community might be a lot healthier, I think.
These days there is a chain store type bike shop that uses student labour. They don't have the same level of expertise but they are keen and helpful and their bikes are a lot cheaper. There are a lot more road bike cyclists around now partly due to this fact, and the impact of