rhm

Anurag,

If you have a single speed bike and aren't sure you need something else, just ride your single speed bike. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, it might prove unsuitable; and then you'll know. As you say, you don't know what gear to be in; so ride the single speed and, as you're slogging up a hill, ask yourself: 'would a lower gear be nice?' And as you're spinning down the other side: 'would a higher gear be helpful?' If you start thinking you need more gears, then you probably do. If you keep thinking 'this is okay' then maybe you don't. Trust me, you'll figure it out in no time.

I took my kids on a two day tour a few years ago. Going up a pretty steep hill on the last day, my son's derailleur just snapped, broke right off. I had no choice but to convert his bike to a single speed bike right then and there. Fortunately i had a chain tool with me; I just removed enough links to make the chain fit between the middle chain ring and the middle cog on the freewheel. From there on, he rode in one gear; up hills, down hills, everything. It made no difference to his speed. If you ride the way he does, you'll be fine.