According to Steve Morrissey, team operations and equipment manager for USA Cycling, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the highest priority is-gulp-a cell phone.

"You're usually going out to ride to get away from phones," says Morrissey, "but in this case, it makes good sense to have it. The rules have changed as far as what to bring with you, and the No. 1 thing to bring these days is a cell phone, especially if you're going by yourself. It's one way to get help if you have an accident and you're trapped. So we say bring your cell with you, throw it in your jersey pocket, but turn the ringer off. Equally important is a form of identification in the case of an emergency."

Here's the rest of Morrissey's list (most can fit into the "saddle bag" under your seat):

A pump: "The No. 1 problem you could have is a flat tire, so you need a pump, just so you can get home if you have a slow leak," says Morrissey. "Most of the pumps will come with mounting hardware, so that you can strap it on to your frame. "The best thing to do is to mount the pump so that it fits right underneath your water bottle cage," says Morrissey. "But before you buy it, make sure that it will fit your sized bike and your inner tube."

A spare inner tube: This should fit inside any standard seat bag, and don't forget a tire lever to help take the tire off of the rim, so you can access your inner tube. Make sure you have the right diameter of inner tube to fit your bike accordingly.

Patch kit: You should also bring an inner tube patch kit, in case of multiple flats. "You should also find out what caused the flat," says Morrissey. "For example, it could be a piece of glass that's still in your tire. To find out, gingerly run your fingers on the inside of your tire and feel for the cause of the flat."

Mini-tool kit: A standard kit has as many as 15 bicycle-specific tools, so you can adjust your seat and make other adjustments as necessary. "Again, this is basically just to help you get home, to self rescue in an emergency," says Morrissey.

Golf pencil: "I like to have a small pencil and some tiny Post-its just in case," says Morrissey. "It's a convenience thing, maybe to write down the addresses of a garage sale I go by or whatever else comes along."

The extras: I'll also bring a $5 bill, just to stop and buy a burger if I run out of Power Bars and energy foods," says Morrissey. "If you don't have a cell phone, I'd bring some change for an emergency phone call. I also wrap duct tape around the pencil, which comes in handy to patch the inside of your tire in an emergency."

And if you want to strap on a backpack (it's totally up to you, your comfort level and the length and terrain of the ride), Morrissey suggests bringing a thin, nylon jacket (in case it starts to rain), some extra food, such as Fig Newtons, extra socks (having dry feet is critical), sunscreen and sunglasses for wind and sun protection.

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