For starters, get something cheap. Ideally, get something from a big box store (ie Walmart, Canadian Tire, Sportcheck, whatever you've got over there) for under $200 - I think that's about L100 or so. Then, ride the crap out of it.
If you find that you like what you've undertaken, that's when you use your cheap bike as a base for new and quality components like cranks, brakes, wheelsets, chains, and what-have-you.
What this does is provides you a base from which to build your cycling/fitness on a heavier cycle. It also allows you to understand bicycle components, thereby forcing you to learn the specs.
