"erm why? if you was going to buy a bike and you know the one you want and you can buy it cheaper online are you still going to pay extra"

Yes, because bikes can and do go wrong, and ad Ben has pointed out, there are tales aplenty of bikes being bought online, and then sitting in the garage as they are impossible to assemble.

I'm a great believer in horses for courses. I want to try out the product I'm interested in, and I want to know how I can get it serviced when things go wrong.

"if its a big saving then why not?"

It would have to be VERY big, as there is no such thing as a cheap bike if it doesn't fit together, or if it is the wrong size, has the wrong equipment etc.

"would you book a flight with your site? or do you goto the high street to buy a flight"

There are times when people do ask in the forum about complex travel plans, and I'm perfectly happy to suggest they go to a travel agent to get more specific advice.