PSA: That fancy bike co-op in Portland charges way too much for used parts

I stopped into the Portland Bike Co-op last week looking for a used 10-speed chain, and they wanted $25 for a rusty one that had been sitting in a bin for years. A few blocks down at Paul's Bike Shop, I got a brand new KMC chain for $18 with a smile. Why do people keep acting like these co-ops are the only affordable option around here?

2 comments

2 Comments

uma_nguyen241mo ago

Oh man, I gotta disagree a little here... co-ops aren't always the cheapest but they're about more than just price, you know? That extra cash usually goes right back into teaching people how to fix their own bikes or keeping stuff out of the landfill. Plus sometimes you find a weird vintage part at a co-op that you can't get anywhere else for any price.

joseph9321mo ago

Saw a piece in the Mercury last month that said their teaching workshop alone fixed over 200 bikes for free last year. That 25 bucks for the chain probably covers a few hours of stand time and grease for somebody learning to true a wheel from scratch. Not saying you're wrong about Paul's having a better deal on the chain, I'd probably go there too for a basic part. But the co-op saved me once when I needed a weird old Shimano shifter for a 90s mountain bike none of the regular shops stocked. You pay a premium for the weird stuff and the community help, not always for the everyday parts.