One day back in the spring I walked into the local bike shop and one of the owners tossed me a small package and told me to try it out. When I looked at the package it had the name Bonk Breaker on the front—it was a product I had never heard of before, but have since become very well acquainted with. In fact, if you ride very much at all you need to get acquainted with them as well.
Bonk Breaker Gluten Free Energy Bars
Bonk Breaker is an all-natural energy and protein bar that is made without dairy, gluten or soy products. These bars are designed for endurance athletes (cyclists, runners, etc.). I have only tried four of the ten flavors of Bonk Breaker that are available, but they have all be simply delicious so far. The ten flavors available are: Peanut Butter & Jelly, Peanut Butter & Jelly (High Protein), Almond Cherry Chunk (High Protein), Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip, Apple Pie, Blueberry Oat, Espresso Chip, Almond Butter & Honey, Peanut Butter & Banana, and Fig.
This would be a very long review if I gave you the ingredients list for each of the bars, so let me just list the ingredients for the Apple Pie Bonk Breaker (my favorite) so you can get a general idea of what they contain. Ingredients: Rice Nectar, Organic Gluten Free Oats, Honey, Coconut Oil, Brown Rice Flour, Non-GMO Brown Rice Protein, Apples, (Freeze Dried Apples), Brown Rice Crisps (Brown Rice, Rice Nectar, Sea Salt), Ground Chia Seed, Ground Cinnamon, Natural Apple Flavor, and Sea Salt. One 2.2 ounce bar has 250 calories (72 from fat), and has 34g of carbohydrates, 7g of protein, and 4g of dietary fiber.
Do you need Bonk Breaker energy bars? Well, it depends on how far you ride your bike. On short rides (anything under two hours) you would probably be just fine with carbohydrate gels and/or energy drinks. However, it is very rare for me to go on a bike ride that lasts less than two hours so I nearly always take a Bonk Breaker or two with me. After two hours of exercise your body needs some protein, and one regular Bonk Breaker bar has around 7 grams (the High Protein bars have even more). By the time I’ve been on my bike for three hours I want something that tastes and feels like real food—and Bonk Breaker fits the bill perfectly. These bars are soft, full of flavor, and taste great.
Because I am a distance cyclist I sometimes have to take over 2,000 calories worth of food products with me on a ride, and because I like variety I never confine myself to using just one brand of energy product. However, Bonk Breaker is one of the few “must have” foods I take with me on nearly every ride.
Bonk Breaker Energy Bars retail for around $25 for a box of 12 and if your local bike shop does not have them in stock I am sure they can order them for you. You can also order these bars from the Bonk Breaker Online Store and other online retailers, such as Amazon.com, REI, and Colorado Cyclist.
Carrie
September 26, 2012 at 8:55 AM
I’ve seen these all over–in my local running and bike stores–and I’ve been wondering if they taste good. Thanks for the review! I’ll keep them in mind for when I work up to a two-plus hour ride.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Carrie — they look and taste homemade — I am sure you will like them!
Mikk Murray
September 26, 2012 at 10:06 AM
These energy bars look good, thankyou for the review.
I make my own usually but theres always an occasion for a shop bought energy boost!
One of my favourite quick energy bar/ball recipes is..
1 handfull dates
1 handfull raisons
1 handfull mixed nuts
15g – 30g organic hemp protein powder
1 tbs cocoa powder
Simply blend the ingredients together and roll into balls. If they are sticky I usuall roll them around on some cocoa powder to finish them off.
Easy to digest, quick to make, raw, natural ingredients. Yum
I sometimes add various other ingredients to the mix.. Oats, apple, peanut butter etc..
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 12:47 PM
That looks like a decent source of energy! But with as much time as I spend on a bike I guess I am just too lazy to prepare food myself.
anniebikes
September 26, 2012 at 10:25 AM
I am always looking for an alternative to a banana. Thanks.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Bananas are fine, but on longer rides I get bored with them rather quickly (I must have ADHD — look, a squirrel).
irishkatie
September 26, 2012 at 11:58 AM
When I used to go to the gym a lot I used to eat an Apex protein bar. It was a 2.5 oz bar, and depending on the flavor, was about 270 – 300 cals, with about 35 g carb, and a whopping 20g of protein!
Granted, I was eating it because I’d do an hour of cardio, and an hour of bootcamp class or a training session.
With the biking, they don’t work as they’d melt a bit in the heat (though ok for winter).
Of the ones you mentioned I think I’d try the Almond Cherry Chunk, Blueberry Oat, and maybe the PB&J one. I will look for them too!
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Katie, I use different food products in the winter than I do in the summer — as you noted, some products melt too easily. In the heart of winter I have to put chemical hand warmers in my pockets just to keep the energy bars from becoming a solid block of ice.
irishkatie
September 26, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Oh…that is an excellent idea about using hand warmers to keep the bars from hardening! I like to eat the cranberry walnut Kind Bars…but they get HARD in the cool….nods…hand warmers!
timscyclingblog
September 26, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Apparently jam on brown bread is really good, you can toast the bread if you want a hot snack after a ride. Beans on toast too. Milk is good. Or you could spend a fortune on products that athletes get paid to endorse. Research also shows electrolyte drinks only benefit after prolonged / sustained exercise, so a long ride, but again, so marginal, water on the other hand is the cheapest drink and nothing hydrates better.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 5:07 PM
You might get away with just drinking water on shorter rides, but on Century rides in hot weather you are going to lose too many electrolytes if you just drink water. Chocolate milk after a ride is perfect, but I prefer Honey Stinger Protein Bars (I’ve never found quick source of protein that has a better taste).
timscyclingblog
September 27, 2012 at 4:58 PM
I will let others decide by giving Tommy as an example, they never had this stuff in his day… http://timscyclingblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/so-you-think-youve-cycled-a-lot-this-past-12-months-cycling/
Patty :)
September 26, 2012 at 5:38 PM
Hi – loved this article and looking forward to reading some of your others. It is a hard balance to find the right ‘food’ to eat while running and/or biking longer distances. Enjoyed the replies. Also, thank you for liking a post in my blog.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 9:24 PM
Patty — One of the best books I’ve read on nutrition for athletes is “The Performance Zone” and while it does not recommend specific products, it does a great job of explaining what you need based upon your sport and fitness level.
See my review at: http://wp.me/p1sFbY-2b
Cherry
September 26, 2012 at 8:37 PM
Great find!! I hope to get my hands on them some day … without doing any research yet, I have a gut feeling these aren’t sold in Canada.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 26, 2012 at 9:20 PM
Cherry, I just checked their Website and I’ve got great news for you — they are sold all over Canada!
Fitness Wayne | weight loss, exercise and paleo health blog
September 27, 2012 at 8:01 AM
If only they didn’t all have peanut butter and rice. So close to being paleo friendly.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 27, 2012 at 10:36 PM
I haven’t gone Paleo yet, but have thought about it. What do you use for carbs on Century rides?
isaac976
September 27, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Looks good, will give it a try soon
All Seasons Cyclist
September 27, 2012 at 10:37 PM
Let me know what you think of them after you’ve had a chance to try them out!
thejourneynotthefinish
September 27, 2012 at 5:44 PM
These look awesome. I’ll have to switch out a honey stinger for one of these on my next long ride.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 27, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Or you can just go on a longer ride and enjoy both the Bonk Breaker AND the Honey Stinger Waffle (one of the greatest products to ever hit human taste buds).
Jeff Katzer
September 27, 2012 at 10:21 PM
Thanks for Liking my story. Headed out tomorrow for for single track riding.
All Seasons Cyclist
September 27, 2012 at 10:40 PM
Enjoy your ride! Single track riding is the best way I know to “get my mind right.”
investinyourselfblog
September 28, 2012 at 7:46 AM
Great review – these look like they would satisfy that “real food” need that does come up after awhile. Might get some of these the next time my husband and I go hiking – 3 or 4 hours at a time. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
All Seasons Cyclist
September 28, 2012 at 10:12 PM
You will enjoy these on a hike — they actually taste like something you would make at home.
mtbtokyogirl
October 7, 2012 at 6:46 AM
looks really good! I wish I could get one in here Tokyo, I myself need more than 2000kcal as I’m a MTBer and usually burn about 3000kcal-3500kcal in 4-5hours but I only get a can of redbull and a sandwich or small rice ball only!!
All Seasons Cyclist
October 7, 2012 at 8:15 AM
Do you mean that no one sells the carbohydrate gels and bars that we have in the US (and most of Europe)? I would hate to go on a long ride without those gels in my jersey pockets!
mtbtokyogirl
October 7, 2012 at 8:49 AM
oh I meant Bonk Breaker. we do have some energy bar or gels and especially this summer this little gels helped me a lot
All Seasons Cyclist
October 7, 2012 at 8:59 AM
That is too bad — they taste great, especially on long rides!
mtbtokyogirl
October 7, 2012 at 9:03 AM
Guess I’ll try to find one in the US next time I visit there! in a year or… hmm not sure though! thanks for shareing the info anyways. i love your blog!
bamboogirl
October 15, 2012 at 1:46 PM
I just bought a sampler pack after nearly bonking yesterday during a short ride. I didn’t ingest enough calories, but the other quick energy snacks I used to use have a ton of Sugar among other things! Organic tapioca Syrup, Can juice, honey, grape juice, sunflower oil, carnauba wax?. . “Carnauba wax has a very high melting point of 82-86 °C (180-187 °F). It is harder than concrete and nearly insoluble in water and ethanol. It is non-toxic and hypoallergenic. The combination of properties leads to many applications, including use in food, cosmetics, automobile and furniture wax, molds for semiconductor devices, and as a coating for dental floss.” Yum.
All Seasons Cyclist
October 15, 2012 at 5:16 PM
Bonking is the pits! As for carnauba wax — I am writing a review for a food product that has it in it — the product has an awesome taste, but now you will have me thinking about automobile and furniture wax every time I eat them!