If you are "piss poor", you probably don't want to be building a bike from the frame up, especially a UO-8 with all the goofy French sized parts. Every nut and bolt, no matter how tedious, is only going to add to the budget. (Although I don't know if the French heritage of Montreal provides you with greater access to French parts. If so, you may be in luck.)
You'd probably be much better off looking for a complete used road bike. You'll still have plenty of work truing the wheels, replacing the cables / housing, adjusting the brakes / derailleurs, but you won't have to spend your time hunting for random parts that get expensive fast.
It's a lot better to spend a little more at the outset to get something with a potential to be a rideable bike at the end of the day.
I don't know if the fixie conversion craze has hit Montreal the way it has L.A., but if so, you might want to start with an old rigid framed MTB. They can be bough dirt-cheap, and with a little work and a set of road tires, they can make a fantastic commuter bike.
e.g. something like this for $25 complete-
http://montreal.en.craigslist.ca/bik/1577801933.html , or this complete Trek MTB for $75 -
http://montreal.en.craigslist.ca/bik/1571563654.html
Originally Posted by
sunstealth
I have literally NO luck about finding one of those around here (montreal/quebec/canada) winter time and that size with lower priced frame dont really mix well it seems.
I have been emailing and looking around kijiji/crqaigslist, scooting the garbage around still no luck
so if anyone can help me finding a old NON PRICEY (means i am piss poor now) frame set in that 50 to 52 cm size, post about it here.
as far as i can remember the peugeot UO-8 are nice riding bikes but are worthless, that would be a perfect exemple of what i am trying to find!
thank you in advance!