Originally Posted by Vintage Schwinn

Iride01 said it the best.

It is an excellent rule. The aim is to help the less fortunate to have reliable inexpensive transportation.

The goal is not to achieve approximate equivalent market value on parts pricing!!!

In order to partially somewhat discourage the FREELOADERS that are not less fortunate from essentially purchasing an arsenal stockpile of quality below market price used bike parts and then profiteer from unloading them on Ebay, the cabe. craigs, facebook mkt place, offer-up or here on the bikeforums.
Yes, I did use the term, FREELOADERS, and I will go as far as saying that if you can afford an apartment,smart phone ,
cable television, high speed internet, and can afford to eat out with friends once a week, even if at McDonalds, and drink a couple of beers with pals at the local pub, and go see a movie or a concert once in a while, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO MONOPOLIZE THE PARTS SOURCE OF A CO-OP TO ESSENTIALLY CHERRY PICK THE ONES THAT WILL YIELD THE HIGHEST PAYBACK ON EBAY. You should absolutely be ashamed to do that! TAKE ONLY WHAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR MAINTAINING YOUR CURRENT BIKE, AND LEAVE THE REST SO THAT OTHERS THAT ARE TRUELY LESS FORTUNATE & NEEDY MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.
Yeah, buddy, you should seriously think about that, but there are too many smug dumbasses that look at from the perspective that oh well, I know enough about bicycles and bicycle parts so well I should be rewarded for being savy enough to recognize that said part is a great part for a bargain. What a dipS#!t !!! The CO-OP knows good and well that said parts pricing is Well Below equivalent market value and it is that way for the simple reason of serving the less-fortunate that really have very little money and are struggling just to survive. SO, HELL YEAH, IT IS A GOOD CO-OP RULE !!! You could still have some dipS#!t that isn't needy that abuses the system by coming every week or so and buying & installing parts there, only to go home to a nice apt and then remove said parts and unload for profit on Ebay, and then repeat the process a few days later, but this buying & installing parts there DOES DISCOURAGE the dipS#!ts somewhat. Those that are truly less fortunate & needy likely have zero complaints as to buying and installing the parts there because UNLIKE you dipS#!ts, those truly less fortunate and needy folks don't have a nice apt or house with nice workspace/workbench with tools, and bicycle work stand.

THERE ARE MANY FOLKS THAT ARE EXTREMELY GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME, SKILLS, AND DONATED PARTS AT CO-OPS & BIKE MISSIONS.
Unfortunately, there are some that are not ever givers or volunteers, but simply are takers who view the CO-OP just as they would view a garage sale, flea mkt, craigslist, Goodwill store, or Ebay. THESE DUMMIES FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE CO-OP's & BIKE MISSIONS FOR THE TRULY LESS FORTUNATE AND NEEDY FOLKS IN HELPING THEM MAINTAIN AT A LOW COST, THEIR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.