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Want to stop using my car for smaller journeys but don't have much money (the two are linked!) what should I look(out) for when looking at cheap road bikes on ebay? Would like panniers do I need a frame with mounts? Any ideas on brands/models?
you don't [i]need[/i] mounts but it helps.
Get a steel frame from a brand you recognise. Cheap old parts are easy to find, and cheap to make bling. Factor in the cost of new tyres/cables and bar tape/break pads to any bike you buy from ebay as they will need doing! Go bigger than you'd expect with a mountain bike (I'm 6'1 with long legs, I ride a 19inch P7, a 56cm Jake the snake and a 61cm peugoet road bike)
mud guards look crap but make so much sense.
just be mindful that older bikes often (obviously!) have older standards in terms of sizing. 1" threaded headsets, strange bb lengths etc.
Main gotcha is likely to be 27" wheels rather than 700c so new tyres/tubes become a bit more of a pain to source cheap.
Like meehaja says, just add on a couple of quid for some worn out bits. Suppose if looking for really cheap then maybe Raleigh, Peugeot steel frames might fit the bill. Or a newer non-fashionable brand like Carerra (Halfords).
how cheap is cheap?
get a kona smoke, £200, new, bargain.
(a friend has one, it's an excellent commuter / poppinofftotheshops / pub bike)
+1 for the Smoke. Heavy beast though. Definitely some shop selling them on ebay new for £190+postage or something like that.
Cheers awhiles and breatheeasy, that sounds like a better option with less potential hassle.
Check out Freecycle - mate picked up an old roadie for free. Spent £10 getting it fixed up, and it's in perfect working order.
Good shout xiphon, that's closer to my budget!