Anyone bring beef jerky along for long rides? It seems like a good idea because it's lightweight and has lots of protein and sodium, plus it packs quite a lot of calories given its small size. I've never heard it mentioned in the context of bicycling though, so for all I know there's some big reason not to use it. Thoughts?

Apres-ride for me.

Hard to eat and maybe too much sodium. As much as I love beef jerky outside of cycling, I personally wouldn't try it.

Yuck. It'd probably take forever to digest, leaving you with a full stomach and no energy. Heave ho!

That's the reason most bike food is made up of simple and complex sugars- it gets into your system quickly.

Even when I wasn't a vegetarian, I literally couldn't stomach jerky.

Sounds delicious. Can't really imagine eating it during a ride, but it's not a totally ridiculous proposition.

I really like beef jerky, and even make my own. But I don't take it on training rides... harder to digest.

Another sodium packed ride food are cheese sticks in the single packs. Read the ingredients one day, holy cow 10% of your max. sodium in each stick! Works pretty well for a ride snack except in real hot weather.

It also takes a lot of chewing. If you are breathing the least bit hard or come to a hill or turn into a head wind, not breathing gets harder because of the chewing. That and the digestion issue makes it a not so good choice.

I had it a couple of times riding 70 miles a day last summer and quite liked it. As this thread indicates, YMMV. Try it sometime, but I'd bring something you know works for you as well just in case the jerky doesn't.

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Snap into a SlimJim?

mmmm. slimjimmmmmmm

Sometimes I'll take fried chicken. It's a little tough keeping the gravy on the mashed potatoes, but no one said riding a bike would be easy.

Just stick with the Hungry Man dinners- comes with everything you need, including wet naps.

I was just about to go to bed, but now I'm hungry.

My route usually takes me by a KFC and if I've been riding hard I treat myself to an order of the party bucket. Between the bucket and all the sides I can fit them comfortably in my jersey pockets and generally gives me enough calories to get me home.

^^^
so does my bike commute. The smell from the KFC is GROSSSSSSS

Beef jerky is a great choice for mid-ride on a long ride ... pity the good stuff is as expensive as it is. The good stuff just about melts in the mouth. I'd carry it with me on any ride of about 100 km or longer.

It's delicious and it provides you with electrolytes and protein ... all three points are very important for long rides.

i prefer fresh roadkill.

Well, there's plenty of that out there too. I'm sure you find something good to eat on every ride.

Bar tape has roughly the same taste and nutritional value, but is lighter and more functional earlier in the ride.

slightly more carbs as well.

For rides that involve wicker baskets and blankets, maybe.

For rides that involve eating and pedalling at the same time, no.

I was introduced to the idea of eating beef jerky on a ride during my first 24-hour time trial race. I was a bit sceptical then too ... but I tried some and loved it. Beef jerky is for rides that involve being on the bicycle for long, long rides.