Bicycle shops can sometimes be intimidating — especially if you're new to biking. You walk in and the store is crowded with bikes and bike parts. Bikes are hanging from the ceiling, accessories cover the walls, there may be bike videos playing and posters of bikers hanging on the wall. But the fact of the matter is: Most bicycle-store employees are bikers with a passion for biking who love to share their knowledge of and excitement for the sport.

Although most areas have several bicycle stores, they aren't on every street corner. In fact, depending on where you live, there may be only a few in your area. Even so, you should visit each shop to get a feel for which store is right for you.

Talk with other bikers for recommendations for local stores and then visit a couple of stores to meet the staff and check out their product line. Knowing a bike shop staffed by people who understand your needs and are knowledgeable enough to help you with any issue will go a long way toward improving your overall biking experience.

Take the time to get to know the staff at the shop you like — they'll be a great source of information, helping with everything from places to ride to how to find group rides. They can offer advice on the newest and coolest parts and accessories. And they can even give you advice if you want to do some of the adjustment and maintenance yourself.

In fact, a good bike-shop staff members will encourage you to do your own work. A bike shop shouldn't be about making customers dependent on their services in order to get more business out of them. It should be empowering its customers so that when they have problems, the customers can handle it themselves.

Here are the main features you may want to look for in a bike shop:

• Customer service: Most bicycle stores take a lot of pride in customer service, and strive to have the best customer service possible. Usually, when you first walk into a store you can feel what the level of customer service is going to be. If you're greeted shortly after entering, if the staff members are easily identified with uniforms, if they have adequate hours, if the store is clean and well lit, and if there's a good assortment of merchandise displayed in an inviting way, these are sure signs of a store that cares about its customers.
• Year-round service: One of the best times to take advantage of the services of a bike shop is during the winter season. Instead of hanging your bike up for the winter hibernation, think about using this time to do annual maintenance and upgrades. The benefit is that, because most people aren't riding as much, bicycle stores aren't as busy and can spend more quality time with customers advising and servicing their bicycles. During peak season, the bicycle stores are sometimes backed up and you may not be able to get an appointment if you need one. One benefit of year-round service is being ready for spring. Nothing is worse than sitting in your garage or basement on a beautiful spring day with grease on your hands working on your bicycle instead of being out on the road or trail — all because you haven't worked on your bike during the winter. Most bicycle stores will offer a limited-time warranty on the repair work they perform so make sure to ask the next time you visit.
• Expertise: You want to find a bike shop with expert staff. Talk with the staff and get a feel for whether this job is just a part-time one for them to make some extra money or whether they do it for the love of biking. The best staff are those who exude a passion for biking and who love to share their excitement for bikes with others. If an employee doesn't have the experience or knowledge, he should be able to ask another employee for the answer. The bicycle industry has many different service classes for mechanics, and there should be at least one staff member with this kind of training. Of course, a mechanics class doesn't replace years of experience working on bikes.
• Women and family friendly: Some bike shops are staffed by hard-core male bikers who are interested in racing, top-end bikes, working on bikes, and other riders who share their interests. When it comes to the needs of women and families, most of these guys are pretty much clueless. Unless you fit that same description, look for a bike shop with a staff that includes a mix of men and women who can relate to women's biking issues (such as clothing, riding interests, and how to fit a bike to the physiology of a women). If you have kids (or you think you might in the future), you also want a bike-shop staff who can assist families with their biking needs. Fitting bikes to children is as important as fitting them to adults. For example, a child's saddle should be positioned so that he can place both feet flat on the ground. In addition, children should ride in a more upright position so that they can more easily keep their eyes on the road ahead.
• Turnaround time: When you do have to take your bicycle into the bicycle store, remember you aren't the only one who is desperate to have their bike ready to ride this weekend. Sometimes you can get your bicycle fixed while you wait, and other times you may have to leave your bike for a few days while they order that special part or repair the other bicycles brought in before yours.