Must be your local store. I took a Randonee for a test ride on Seattle streets during evening rush hour from the flagship store and gave the bike a good test uphill and down, on residential streets and with traffic. They made me wear the orange vest. I took my own helmet. Later, in Bellingham (no vest required), I took another Randonee for a test ride across town so I could compare it with a Trek 520 from another shop. It rained while I was out so I brought it back dirty and they had no problem with that. I bought the Randonee after that second test ride and continue to be pleased with it at just under 1000 miles of day rides (no tours yet) since March.