How many of you have toured Europe on fixed or SS?

I noticed a few threads about cycling through parts of Europe, e.g. Dover --> Brussels --> Amsterdam. Me and a mate are gonna do something similar next year, in Spring. I am tempted to stick on a freewheel and a back brake and do what these people did, but, I fear that I may be too much of a pussy to do it with just one gear. Should I either

a) STFU, HTFU and RTSS (ride the singlespeed)

or

b) buy a second hand dawes Galaxy Tourer and some parts (I already have wheels, seat & post, forks & headset & stem & bars, brakes & levers, pedals but need derailleurs, chain, cables, crankset etc.) which will cost a lot more than option 1, and which I don't think I can actually afford on top of racks, tent etc., but it will make the ride much easier.

Your vote probably won't influence my decision but I'd like to hear your opinions if you have pedalled through Europe.

BTW, did search this forum before posting, but only just found this after searching all the forums

I say gears for Europe touring. As much as I like fixed gear, I think when you have a fully loaded bike gears really help, and it seems a shame to not be able to ride Alps passes just because you don't have a really low gear on your bike.

Possible but I'd of thought you'd have to pack really light (hence expensive gear). Esier to buy a 2nd hand touring bike or mbt and whack some slick tyres on.

EDIT: Would not want to put you off though better to say fuck it and do the trip wing it a bit than get obsessed about the gear I reckon

I reckon I'd do it on gears and then should one feel inclined to do it again try it SS.

Most important would be getting a properly fitting bike, cos you dont want to be stuck out there with a bike you're over exerting yourself on.

Cycled through France single speed - No problems at all. Well, other than that I now want to see if I can cycle to the south coast of Spain from Calais single speed in the Spring...
Really depends how far/fast you're anticipating travelling and how challenging you want it to be..

Cycling Engerland and Scootland on fixed.. Wease..
http://www.fearlessgearless.com/

i just did bruges-calais on wednesday on a fixed (w/brakes) with a terrible gear ratio and quite enjoyed myself... and if i can do it so can you! (though it did seem to be more an exercise in orienteering than cycling)

id wanna do it on fixed just because it would seem the most fun and thats what its about?

Well my grandparents toured everywhere in Britain fixed - I have a photo somewhere of them in Snowdonia, but I don't know about Europe. They didn't have much choice though really...
If you intend to do any hillclimbing in Europe there's nothing to stop you going fixed/ss, but I find it hard/pleasurable enough with gears.
One major downside of going fixed is you won't get to freewheel for hours down alpine roads, which is a pleasure like no other.
If you are going to have a freewheel, you may as well embellish it with a few gears...

go flip flop then and enjoy best of both worlds.

I've toured all over London on fixed, it was murder.

seriously though, I met this bloke in his 80s who had clocked up over million miles (he'd logged them all) on fixed wheel, all over the UK and europe. He was the real deal, running 66 GI and seriously H to the power of HTFU x N