Buying a quality barbell

[amac38]

Hey,

I've been looking at upgrading my elcheapo 7 foot olympic barbell, I've got a few options though I'm undecided. They are:

1. ABC BO220 from Gymcare $484
2. Iron Edge 20kg Olympic Barbell from AusKB $165 + $54 = $219
3. Pendlay 20kg Bushing Class HD NexGen Olympic Barbell $575 + $54 = $629
4. Garage Gym Mens Olympic Barbell from GymandFitness $449 + $37 = $486

I believe all bars have similar specs, 7 foot barbell, ~28cm grip, 20kg in weight, rotating sleeves etc.

I'll be using this bar in a power rack, Markos has said that barbells will get damaged if used in a power rack.

If you are buying a bar for a power rack, get a cheap one, as ultimately it will get damaged. Its not what they were intended for. Its why I have no power rack at PTC. I have a squat rack with saddles, a bench press with saddles and a squat stand where the plate rests upon the support, not the bar.

Is this something I should be worried about?


Let's use this thread to discuss barbells

Cheers

 

[PTC]

If your getting a bar for the powerlifts, an ABC powerbar at under $500 will do the trick. Mine has taken great punishment in the power rack with no issues.

Also check this out

We'd like to offer your gang an easy way to get their hands on our gear at great prices through our website. We've set up a special coupon for all PTC clients - this means that they can get a 10% discount on all prices by entering "PTC" when they checkout through the store. Here's the process:

Find what they want on our web store >> click "add to cart" >> click "Click Here to Continue" >> enter "PTC" into the coupon code box >> Click "submit" and then the shopping cart will automatically deduct 10% from the purchase price. Pretty simple.

Feel free to spread the word to your guys and gals. We're here to help out if you have any questions.

Hope all is going well mate. Enjoy reading your newsletters each week.

Cameron
[FONT=&quot]
--
Regards,

Cameron Strachan
Business Development
Australian Kettlebells[/FONT]

 

[Christian]

Yeah Get a good bar for oly lifts and then a rack bar.. How good does a bar have to be for a squat? All you do is rest it on your shoulders.. No point ****ing the knurling on a good bar from mounting it in a rack with 200kg on it...

I havnt found saddles for sale, i think makros made his own?

 

[macmad]

The ABC is a good value bar, very solid. only issue is the knurling is super harsh.
unless you are an olympic lifter, this is a good choice for powerlift training, and for use in a powerrack .

The Pendlay bar is a good bar for olympic lifting, but useless for bench press and squats. The rings are in the olympic lift position for snatch ( wider out ),
and there is no centre knurling for squat.
A good option if you are a competitive olympic lifter, but a terrible choice for using in a powerrack.

Haven't seen or used the poweredge or garage gym bars so can't comment on them.

 

[PTC]

The Ivanko powerbar is a gem, but very expensive.

I may be getting original Texas powerbars soon.

 

[macmad]

Yeah Get a good bar for oly lifts and then a rack bar.. How good does a bar have to be for a squat? All you do is rest it on your shoulders.. No point ****ing the knurling on a good bar from mounting it in a rack with 200kg on it...

I havnt found saddles for sale, i think makros made his own?

It's pretty much impossible to ruin the knurling on a good bar with 200kg squats, or even 400kg squats for that matter.
Just don't leave it loaded in the rack for extended periods of time, and don't drop it off your back onto the pins.

 

[macmad]

Minh from Titan Australian is getting some Texas power bars in soon, these are probably worth waiting for as the knurling is not as harsh as the ABC, but the price will probably be about the same. Not as durable as an Eleiko, or Leoko bar, but good bars.
We have a Leoko powerlifting bar used in the 1988 IPF worlds in Perth and it's still in perfect condition, knurling is unchanged, and still shiny ( which normally is not a word I want associated with any bar I train with )
We also have an old Ivanko bar at the gym I train at, good bar for deadlifting and squat.

 

[Christian]

It's pretty much impossible to ruin the knurling on a good bar with 200kg squats, or even 400kg squats for that matter.
Just don't leave it loaded in the rack for extended periods of time, and don't drop it off your back onto the pins.

Well thats what i was thinking.. Failing in a power rack/

Or fail is not an option.. lol

 

[trofius]

It's pretty much impossible to ruin the knurling on a good bar with 200kg squats, or even 400kg squats for that matter.
Just don't leave it loaded in the rack for extended periods of time, and don't drop it off your back onto the pins.

I can post pics of an ABC power bar that was used in a gym by powerlifters for >5 years, the knurling were it sits in the squat / bench rack is stuffed, smooth!

I bought it to be used in a power rack, for less than half the new price, There is no way i would need the knurling out that far anyways.

Yes ABC bars Knurling is quite course..

 

[Christian]

i used an abc bar in a gym in coffs harbour with awosme bearings.. knurling was very fine and just a nice bar to use for cleans.. At my gym they have abc bars with cheese greater knurling.. So im sure there are some better then others.

 

[PTC]

Smooth knurling is an Olympic bar, rough knurling is a power bar.

If your still unsure, the ring is 250mm from the end on a powerbar and 200mm from the end of an Olympic bar.

Rough knurling is needed for deadlifts, not required for weightlifting.

Weightlifting bar has needle bearings, powerbar has bush bearings, sleeve rotation is non existent during a powerlift.

Hope all this helps, I spend heaps of time at ABC.

Womens weightlifting bar is 15kg, 27mm grip, needle bearing, smooth knurling.

 

[Ben]

What make is the black one I used at your place Markos?

 

[Christian]

Smooth knurling is an Olympic bar, rough knurling is a power bar.

If your still unsure, the ring is 250mm from the end on a powerbar and 200mm from the end of an Olympic bar.

Rough knurling is needed for deadlifts, not required for weightlifting.

Weightlifting bar has needle bearings, powerbar has bush bearings, sleeve rotation is non existent during a powerlift.

Hope all this helps, I spend heaps of time at ABC.

Womens weightlifting bar is 15kg, 27mm grip, needle bearing, smooth knurling.

Brilliant bit of info, Cheers..

 

[PTC]

What make is the black one I used at your place Markos?

ABC powerbar, I have 2 of them

 

[Ben]

Might be next on the shopping list with some KB's.

 

[trofius]

racks and knurling dont play nice

 

[PTC]

My ABC powerbars havent worn one single bit in my racks. They look absolutely brand new. They must be 4 years old now, used by hundreds of people a week.

 

[trofius]

Marcos, do your bars rest on metal stays, or have you added rubber or cloth to them so they treat the bars better.

The bar I have would have to be more than 8 years old, the stays at the gym are about 60mm wide on the bench, the squats rack, has bars.

People would drag the bar to one side and unload it so it didnt flip up if two 20kg plates were left on the other end, could not have helped.

They have obviously had a rough life, but still feels pretty good, and is strait.

 

[PTC]

Metal on metal, its a rack from Gym direct, before that squat stands. I tried some tape on them, but it wore straight through.

I do have an ABC cheaper bar that shows wear, but the black powerbars are mint

 

[trofius]

Metal on metal, its a rack from Gym direct, before that squat stands. I tried some tape on them, but it wore straight through.

I do have an ABC cheaper bar that shows wear, but the black powerbars are mint

When I e-mailed ABC they said what I have, sounds like an old power bar. On their list their "power bars" are the black nitride. Mine is obviously chrome with stainless ends, a full 7 foot, 20kg (no collars, my scales say 20.2kg) Were my knurling is worn is is black, but doesnt appear to be rust at all, just dark grey steal looking.

The give aways aparently is my black end caps are recessed 10mm...I dont think their current bars have recessed caps..I have seen about 3 other ABC bars they are different. I have seen my bar pulled off the ground with over 300kg on it!, not a lot of flex.

What are yours like Marcos are the end caps recessed at all.