Originally Posted by Wilfred Laurier

There are a large number of people who play a game I like to call "Stump the Bikestore".
People playing STBS might come in with tricky questions about obsolete parts ('you don't know the different between EA3 and S6 tires?!' or 'don't you sell skip-tooth chainrings?!'), looking for obscure parts that they believe a shop could not possibly have in stock, but that they have no intention of buying (Customer: "do you have a titanium left-handed adapter for a Brand X patch kit?" Clerk: "Why yes we do! We got a box of them yesterday and they are fifteen cents each!" Customer: "Oh... Well I'll keep that in mind.") or asking for prices on random disparate items they have no intention of buying ("how much is.... <looks around the store> ... that wheel?! ... those snowshoes?! ...that tool kit?!... that pair of gloves?!")

My sense is that you win at STBS by leaving the store feeling superior to a bike shop employee.