Of the bars, The Clif bars are one of the most palatable ones I've come across - most of the ones I've tried have actually been pleasant enough that it's been difficult to keep them just for riding tbh! Other than that, I'm a pretty keen advocate of the Torq Fitness stuff - they do a handy "sampler box" - http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/acatalog/torq_energy_bars.html - with 2 of each of their flavours, enough to at least give 'em a try.

But to be honest, the main advice for ny of this stuff is "try it out in training" - last thing you want is to find that they're great until you eat the 4th one, at which point they give you enough gas that if it were to ignite, you'd rocket to the summit of M.Ventoux sans Bicyclette

Personally, I've not much experience of long rides on this kind of fuel - when I was doing longer stuff - 12 and 24H TT's - gels weren't around, powerbars had just been launched (and were bloody horrible!) and you rode through the night on cheese and ham butties, or, for audax'es it'd be tinned mango's and rice-pudding It's a wonder I ever finished, really

(I should say - I don't really use any of the "energy stuff" at the moment - I'll take a couple of gels along "just in case" now i've started ramping up the miles a bit, but as my ridings mainly for weight loss purposes, and I'm generally only 4-5 miles from home at any one time, if i get the bonk, hey, I get the bonk and just ride home - thinking about all those fat cells melting away :ewww:)

I can get away with energy + electrolyte drinks up to 50 miles, but in terms of food on the go, flapjack works best for me. I like the chocolate or yoghurt coated ones best. I hate gels (fruit phlegm).

One thing I've observed is that the more people use "specialist" nutrition, the more problems they seem have. Most of the really hardcore people I've met seem to use "normal" food as much as possible. I try to eat what I fancy. This was my "breakfast", 100km into a 600km brevet. Went down a treat, but not so good on the go. Maybe a Cornetto would work.

I bring along only normal foods. Carrot sticks, apples, oranges, string cheese, dried fruits and nuts, homemade energy bars if I have them and I'll usually add something with bread in there but you mentioned you can't do bread. I don't eat sugar so anything premade (sports drinks & energy bars) is out for me. If it's a cold day, I will actually bring along hot soup (broth based) in a thermos for somewhere down the line. That always hits the spot! I usually stop for lunch somewhere during the ride if I have the opportunity but that doesn't always happen.

I really love Lunabars and Larabars except sometimes they are a little rough on my stomach while riding. I am trying to do more of the gels even though they really are nasty. The gels are so easy on the tummy and they instantly make me feel better. I keep one bottle that's just water and one that is water with a Nuun tablet.

When I am done with a long ride I immediately head out for a huge lunch and copious amounts of beer.

I am going to try making my own stuff this year...bought a book called "The Feed Zone Cookbook" that looks like it has some good ideas.

For rides over 30, I usually have Hammer Heed in one of my water bottles. For longer rides I will take a refill of the powder (100 cal/scoop). It is not too sweet and sits well for me. The Shot Blocks and Honey Stinger equivalent work well too.

If I need something more substantial than just sugar, I love the Bonk Breaker Bars. They are dairy and gluten free and no digestions problems what so ever. Problem is they are TOO good and expensive.

The mini bags of Haribo's are good for longer rides too!

I still like the traditional Clif Bars. I particularly love Gu Gels but you said you couldn't do gels. Clif bars have never failed me. And I'd also like to echo the idea of eating before you're hungry--don't get behind the power curve!

I don't know if I consider Shot Bloks gel but I sure like them and have no trouble digesting as they are small. Kind of like a jelly bean. There is also Sport beans out there that you can gradually take. One thing nice about either is you don't have to take the whole bag or bloks at the same time so getting sick is not something I ever experience. Another good thing is mixing crazins and almonds together.

Shot Bloks are my choice - black cherry for caffeine, margarita for salt on the extra sweaty days!

Shot blocks and sport beans. I mix them together and load them in my bento box. For protein, I throw some Lance cracker sandwich thingies in my pocket. Mmm... Peanut butter crackers...

One BIG drawback: At my one and only ironman race, I loaded blocks/beans into my bento box, per usual, as I was setting up my transition. Shortly after putting them in, the skies opened up, and it rained. Hard. For hours. They started the race 1 hour late, I swam, got to my bike (still raining), and my blocks/beans had melted into this gooey disgusting sludgy mass of nastiness. I spent the first half of the bike leg having to dip my fingers into this sludge, and pull out fingerfulls of goo. It was revolting. It took me months before I could eat them again.

Past that, blocks and beans!!! YUM YUM!