Newbie needs your opinion... which bike?

though you're right, what about the prisoner's dilemma? If everyone bought online, all shops would go out of business, at which point, there would be nowhere to try bikes out before you bought. Then some entrepeneur would open a business selling bikes in person, and call it a bike shop. Where would it end?!

plus buying from the right shop would guarantee you're a customer for life, if something go wrong that shouldn't have happen (i.e. not your fault), they can fix it without charging you (usually).