Originally Posted by Brian Ratliff
Nobody has mentioned Harris Cyclery as a model. Harris is the closest thing I know of on the web which caters specifically to commuter/transportational/touring cycling.
And SS/FG, too. They get at least 40% of my internet business because of that (and Sheldon Brown). They also have a good tech support dept.
A "build your own bike" section would be really nice. Even if you're not going to be offering assembly, the ability for customers to pick out all of the parts they need (including stuff they might forget like rim strips, etc) would be a nice service. Perhaps you could offer a discount for buyers who purchase a complete kit? Or maybe an escalating discount depending on how many different selections the purchaser makes.