Yeah Triban 540 is a great bike in fact most of the Triban's are great except for their entry level model Triban 100 which is awful and horribly compromised yet only £50 less than the Triban 500SE, it should be something like £120 less. My current road bike is a super cheap Claris equipped Vertigo Carnaby but I fancy a Voodoo limba at some point which occasionally go sub £300. 

What about summer though?

I also use an indoor exericse bike which I have a windows tablet strapped to the handlebars so I can watch videos and listen to music while exercising otherwise it gets too boring. I started off at friction 1, moved quickly up to 4 or 5 and I'm now on 14 many months later. I'm unsure if its all down to my greater leg strength or just the exercise bike wearing out. 

I cycle to get everywhere, especially for my job working part time doing real estate viewings I'm all over the city on my shifts. No idea how much in a year I only bought a Speedo a month and a bit ago but I would estimate I do 2500 miles a year? I'll know exactly next year though.

I have a Specialized Allez E5 2017.

I'll typically bike outside to relax and not to do any sort of extreme exercise. My area is quite beautiful (well, most of the areas around the Great Lakes are), so sometimes going slow and enjoying life is rather satisfying.

That's a nice looking bike. 

I love cycling, I go out as much as I can with my routes between 60 and 120km. A few days ago I cycled to Burlington, ON, 135km round trip total as a crucial point in my route was closed. (Princess point in Hamilton) A big detour on the fly in an unfamiliar city added a lot of km.

I only cycle from spring to fall, it has to be above 16c for me to go out, otherwise I'll go jogging, I don't like my hands cold nor breathing cold air at 25 to 30 km/h. (Jogging in snow is fine though) Still that's plenty of time in the year to rack up 3000 to 4000km. I don't have an odometer but know the length of my routes, google maps is very useful for planning or figuring out where I was. This week I've done over 300km, so it could even be more than 4K.

I spend about CAD 400 a year on my bike, maintenance, replacements. I need a new chain and new tires every year, go through a bunch of inner tubes, patch kits. I always take a spare inner tube with me as well as a few tools for repairs on the fly. I get about 6 to 8 flats a year. Pretty much everything besides the frame and saddle have been replaced on my bike over the years. (I've had this bike for 12 years or so) It's a Specialized Crossroads bike, at least the frame is.

That's the original version. Mine has race pro wheels now, different front fork, grips, pedals, gear switchers etc.

I take my kids along sometimes. They both used to ride along in one of these.

It's quite a bit of extra weight to pull, 30 to 40km max before they get too bored although they usually fell asleep along the way. Now the oldest is on his own bike which is just more work for me as he makes me push him most of the way lol. That trailer has seen a lot of mileage too. I already had to fix a broken axle and tears in the windows (from sleeping against it with a helmet on)
Today I'll probably take them to Glem Morris again, play in the river and stop by the park and splash pad on the way back. One of the advantages of having kids, you can use a splash pad to cooldown without being looked at like a creepy old dude.

I ended up cycling to Kitchener today along the Grand river. Awesome weather 23c, mainly sunny, not too much wind, NW to help on the way back.

About 50% asphalt, 40% gravel, 10% dirt / washed out sections from the high water 2 weeks ago. It took just over 3 hours, Google is always of, but it's nice it shows the height difference. Plenty of people out today on the trails, means no deer sightings. I run into them often enough.

Very impressive but it looks like the scenary is worth it and great weather too. Never cycled that far and not sure I ever will to be honest but would certainly like to reach that fitness level. 

Thanks. You work up to it slowly. When I came to Canada 15 years ago I started out with 15-20 km loops, currently I can manage upto 130km. I only recently got upto that level again since spring, first time after winter 30km is enough. However getting back up to longer distances gets easier each year. It's mainly finding the time now to go that long. 5-6 hour rides are hard to plan. Getting back after dusk is something I avoid, no lights on my bike.

Getting to know every little town and what nature has to offer in a 50km radius was certainly worth it. It's a very nice feeling to know the area you live in like the back of your hand, and watch it change though the seasons and years. Plus I'm lucky to live right between lake Erie and lake Ontario, both reachable now on round trips. (if I can find the time) It's amazing how lake Erie is at least 15 degrees colder than lake Ontario. The beach on lake Ontario turns my feet numb in July while in Port Dover it can feel like soup in mid summer.

Fun things to learn on the way as well, for exmple I cycle a lot along Brock's route between Hamilton and Port Dover. Sir Isaac Brock repelled the first American invasion of upper Canada in 1812, defeating 2000 Americans in Detroit with 350 men.

Dunno what it is, everything tastes better after a long ride. Perhaps it's the endorphins, a nice cold beer and hot dinner never taste as good as after a couple hours cycling.

I recommend finding a way to get an indoor bike. Whether if you can afford buying one for your home or getting a very cheap gym membership, building endurance for your legs is crucial.

Biking outside during nice weather also helps. I like to go for a minimum of 10 miles a day. I started at 1 mile a day several years ago, and kept building up until I hit 10. Regardless of what your peak fitness ends up being, never give up. That's the key to succeeding.