I haven't tried the Cliff Bar for hikes yet, I am trying other things individually first. For my next hike I'm going to take some general granola bars, along with some bananas and trail mix. I believe that no matter what you eat your going to get some sort of energy gain because it's replenishing nutrients in your body.
I used to cycle a lot also, I did the 100 mile loop around Lake Tahoe, I used a lot of oranges, bananas, cookies and sports drinks (for sugar), and I used one or two of the Powerbar energy syrups. All of these things helped me to maintain my energy levels throughout the entire ride. I think it's all personal preference and how much money you want to spend.
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