IMHO Treks policy is one of the best things they have introduced.
You will find a lot of Distributors in the US do not offer any warranty on bikes sent mail order.
For everyone of us guys who āknows what they are doingā and can work out what size they need, and PDI a bike correctly there are 100 others who donāt.
Speak to any of your LBSās who sell mail order also and ask them about the amount of time they sped with support to mail order customers. Incorrect sizing, colour isnāt like the web site image, do you take the bit of brown cardboard off the steerer tube before fitting the stem, which side does the bell go on? (these are all real!).
If there is an issue with your purchase, you have to send the bikes back half way across the country. Explaining things in a phone call or email is not easy.
Also one critical point is that there is no way to bribe your LBS mechanic with jafa cakes for a quick wheel true etc!!!!
This is especially dangerous with kids bikes, most Dads think they can āput a bike togetherā (how many bikes have we all seen with the forks on back wards?).
The cynical may think it is to maintain rrp (ie profit) but I truly believe it is a dream that most other Bike companies aspire to.