CLIF BLOKS Energy Chews Review: Can Carb Cubes Fuel a Two-Hour Ride?
I ran CLIF BLOKS energy chews for two and a half weeks of workouts. Here's how the strawberry cubes actually fueled my rides and what to know first.
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Quick Verdict
Two and a half weeks of hard workouts and these strawberry cubes fueled every one of them. The BLOKS energy chews taste like a slightly bigger gummy bear, hand me 22 to 24 grams of carbs plus caffeine and electrolytes, and I keep them handy wherever I go.
Buy if you:
- Do rides, runs, or hikes over an hour and need a mid-effort carb hit
- Hate the gooey texture of gels and want something you chew
- Want plant-based fuel with no high fructose corn syrup
- Like a small caffeine boost baked into your fuel
Skip if you:
- Have to unwrap and eat mid-sprint, the cubes are a pretty large size and take a real bite
- Are counting caffeine closely, since content varies by flavor
- Just want a snack and not workout fuel
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| Carbs per serving | 22, 24 g |
|---|---|
| Caffeine | 25, 50 mg per packet |
| Calories | 33 per cube |
| Packet size | 2.12 oz, 8-count pack |
| Ingredients | Plant-based, non-GMO, no HFCS |
| Flavors | Black Cherry, Tropical Punch, Orange, Strawberry Lemonade |
A Little Cube of Carbs, and a Two-Hour Ride to Test It
Forty minutes into a hard climb last week, legs burning and breathing ragged, I reached into my jersey pocket and bit into a strawberry BLOK. I’ve been doing exactly that for two and a half weeks across rides, hikes, and heavy cardio sessions with these CLIF BLOKS energy chews, six soft cubes per packet, 22, 24 g of carbs, up to 50 mg of caffeine, and electrolytes. The question is whether a gummy-bear-sized cube of tapioca syrup actually holds up as serious endurance fuel, or whether it’s just candy with a sports logo.
The question in the video title is real. Can a little cube of carbs actually fuel a long ride? After living with them, my answer leans yes. Here’s what I found.
What’s Packed Into Each Cube
22 to 24 grams of carbs per serving, plus 25, 50 mg caffeine and electrolytes, packed into six soft cubes the size of a gummy bear. When I opened a packet, I found six individual blocks inside, and it works out to about three servings per packet. Alongside the carbs you get 25 to 50 milligrams of caffeine and electrolytes like sodium. The whole thing is plant-based and non-GMO with no high fructose corn syrup, which is a big reason I keep them in my bag.
The cubes themselves are a pretty large size. I described it in the video as a square gummy, basically a little larger gummy bear. Soft texture, not too sticky. It doesn’t fight you when you chew.
How They Actually Fueled My Workouts
Pop two blocks mid-climb and you get steady energy, not a crash, the carbs do the job without the syrupy gel texture. The 25 mg caffeine in the strawberry packet is modest enough that I never felt a jolt or a comedown; what I felt was the ability to hold a hard gear for another 20 minutes when I’d normally be looking for an excuse to soft-pedal. That’s the carbs working, not a stimulant spike.
The strawberry flavor surprised me. I could taste a real burst of that flavor the moment I bit in. Man, if I knew they weren’t just for energy, I could probably eat these all day. They come in around 100 calories per serving, which keeps them low for what they deliver. Low in calories, but you still get the electrolytes and the carbohydrates you need for an active lifestyle. That balance is the whole point of fast fuel.
The Cube Size Is a Two-Sided Thing
The cube size cuts both ways: big enough to chew on, too big to swallow fast when you’re gasping on a sprint. When I said it’s a pretty large size, I meant you take a real bite, not a quick pop-and-swallow like a smaller chew. On a hard climb or a fast stretch when I’m breathing heavy, chewing a big block takes a second of focus. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s worth knowing before you count on eating one mid-sprint. I’d time them for the flatter, calmer parts of a ride rather than the all-out moments.
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Who These Blocks Are Really For
The rider or runner who bonks somewhere around the 75-minute mark is exactly who these are designed for, and that’s exactly who I am. I’ve started keeping a packet in my cycling jersey, one in my hiking pack, and a spare in my gym bag, not because I planned it that way but because I kept wishing I had them when I didn’t. That’s a better endorsement than any test I could design. Where a gel feels like a chore to get down mid-effort, I actually look forward to the strawberry cube.
BLOKS Chews vs. Traditional Energy Gels
Chewing a soft cube lands closer to a strawberry gummy than a gel; easier on the stomach, but slower than a quick suck when you’re flat-out. Gels give you carbs fast but that gooey, sticky texture can be rough on the stomach and never tastes like something you’d choose to eat. These bloks energy chews land closer to a strawberry gummy, soft and not too sticky. The trade-off runs the other way too. A gel is quicker to get down when you’re gasping, since there’s no chewing involved. So if your whole event is flat-out and you can’t spare a few seconds to chew, a gel might edge these out. For most long, mixed-effort rides and runs, I’d take the chews.
My Advice Before You Grab a Pack
Grab the variety pack first to find your flavor; strawberry is the standout, and spacing blocks across your effort keeps energy steady instead of spiking. Space out the blocks across your effort rather than eating a whole serving at once, since the point is a continuous supply of energy, not one big dump. And plan your timing around the calmer stretches so the cube size isn’t fighting your breathing. The variety pack is a smart first buy so you can figure out which flavor you actually reach for. Keep a packet or two in whatever bag you carry, because these only help if they’re on you when the workout goes long.
Pros
- Real burst of flavor, the strawberry tastes like a bigger gummy bear
- 22 to 24 grams of carbs per serving delivered steady energy on hard workouts
- Soft, not-too-sticky texture that’s easy to chew
- Plant-based, non-GMO, no high fructose corn syrup
- Portable and around 100 calories per serving, so they don’t weigh me down
Cons
- Cubes are a pretty large size, so chewing mid-sprint takes a second of focus
- Caffeine content varies by flavor, so read the packet if you track it
- So tasty I’d eat them like candy, which isn’t the point
Frequently Asked Questions
How many BLOKS should I eat during a workout?
Space them across your effort rather than eating a full serving at once. Each packet holds about three servings and six individual blocks, so a couple at a time keeps the energy steady on a long ride or run.
Do all the flavors have caffeine?
Caffeine ranges from 25 to 50 mg per packet and varies by flavor, so check the label if you’re sensitive. The variety pack mixes Black Cherry, Tropical Punch, Orange, and Strawberry Lemonade, and not every flavor carries the same amount.
Are CLIF BLOKS good for shorter workouts under an hour?
They’re built for efforts over an hour, so a quick 30-minute session probably doesn’t need them. For anything long and cardiovascular where your energy dips, that’s where the carbs earn their spot.
Will they upset my stomach like gels do?
The soft, not-too-sticky chew is easier on my stomach than the gooey gel texture. You still chew and swallow real food, so hydrate alongside them the way you would with any fuel.
Are CLIF BLOKS vegan and plant-based?
Yes, they’re made with plant-based ingredients including organic tapioca syrup, and they’re non-GMO with no high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors. That clean label is a big part of why I keep them around.
How should I store them and how long do they last?
Keep them at room temperature in a bag or pocket and they hold their soft texture fine. Heat can make chews a bit stickier, so avoid leaving a packet baking in a hot car.
Can I use them for hiking or climbing, not just cycling?
Absolutely, any high-exertion activity works. I use them across hiking, climbing, cycling, and hard cardiovascular sessions, and they travel well because they’re small and light.
Is the variety pack worth it over a single flavor?
The variety pack is the smart first buy since it lets you find the flavor you actually reach for. You get eight packets across four flavors, so you’re not locked into one before you know your favorite.
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