I just carry a cloth hankie in my jersey pocket. It is useful for all sorts of wiping off or putting on chains and so on, and the best is, unlike tissue, if you forget to take it out when you wash the jersey there won't be little pieces of paper all over the clothing when the wash is done.

JenLeath, you want a triple, like the others said, because you will get hills with real steep grades. If as you approach the hill and it looks real steep to you, then shift down before you start up the grade. You only drop the chain if you try to shift down when you are already half way up and bike is hardly moving at all. Anything else, you can stay in the second cog.

Darcy