Hi Waterlili

My brother has had quite a few sucessful purchases off Ebay - wheels and the like, but I think it would be a bit tricky to buy a whole bike.

Firstly I really like to see things in the flesh, to check out the condition etc for myself and secondly, to get the sizing right. Even though you might have 2 bikes which are the same frame size, the overall set up and frame design can make a difference.

Have you thought about nipping down your local bike shop instead and tell them you're after something cheap and cheerful? Some of the shops down my way sell second hand bikes as well as new ones.

While you might not be able to get quite the bargains they have on ebay, at least you'll have a bike you can try out for size and fit, someone experienced to give you advise, and all the bits should work! They'll also be able to do follow-up care which you won't get with ebay.

Whatever you get, it's worth spending money on a good frame that fits correctly. If you're not sure how much riding you're going to do, you can always go for entry level group set and componants and one you realise you love it upgrade componants later.

best of luck...