Oh dear, I do seem to have upset some delicate sensibilities.

It isn't about how "cool" they are. Maybe where you are the good bike shops aren't swamped with business, but in that case there wouldn't be this thread, would there?

Let's try once more -
Shop is specialist
Shop is busy, very busy.
Customer comes along wanting something not in the run of the shop speciality.
Customer sent elsewhere, often with suggestions where to get it.
Customer come along wanting something in the run of the shop speciality.
Customer attended to and leaves happy.
Customer comes along radiating attitude "serve me, you inferior dogs of low intellect, you manglers of bikes, you persons of no integrity"
Customer attended appropriately and leaves very, very unhappy (and probably posts on this forum ).

As for the "clueless doc/software engineer/lawyer/scientist/prof/money manager/orthodontist ...who doesn`t know ****", the bike shop is an equal opportunity zone, they are treated like any other clueless customer according to the customer types listed above.

Let me repeat this - the successful small lbs do not play the same game as the chain stores. They are not interested in doing so. They don't care if you don't like that. They have a doing it right attitude as opposed to the customer is always right attitude.

They do care about selling you a decent bike that leaves the shop properly prepared, and fixing it properly if it needs work. They'll turn the world upside down to ensure your warranty claims are honoured by manufacturers.

If they specialise in mountain bikes, they'll sell you a road bike but they are not going to turn the world upside down to find you one.

It's a craftsman ethos rather than a retail ethos.