Reply With QuoteNice review KAG, thanks for sharing. Isn't the 28mm version made with the same steel as the bearing bar nowadays? That's some pretty strong steel, doubt you're going to ever bend that unless you really tried hard.
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Review: Pendlay NexGen HD 20kg bushing bar.
I got this bar from F4thpathway about 6 weeks ago (thanks again) and have finally used it enough that I think I can adequately write a review about it. I know there are a lot of bar reviews out there and a lot of video reviews, but I thought I'd write something up on my firsthand experience with this bar. I'm not trying to push anyone to buy this bar, I do not sell this or any other bar, and I do not make any money off this review. I just thought if someone was considering this bar they might like to read an unbiased opinion of it.
Keep in mind before reading ahead that I don't have a lot of experience with a lot of high end bars weightlifting bars. I've used mostly Texas Power Bars, a B&R, a much older York, and a lot of generics. I have handled quite a few nice bars, but never gotten to lift with them. So I can't tell you how this bar compares to Eleiko/Ivanko/Uesaka/York etc. I also do not have a lot of weightlifting experience. I can only tell you how it has worked for me and what I think about it.
Knurl & grip:
To me this is the best knurl I've ever held. It is smooth but not slick and holds the hand very well. I have used this for cleans, power cleans, and snatches, with absolutely no issues with my hands. When I used my generic bars for multiple reps they would eat my hands up after a short time. But that doesn't mean the knurl is slick or too soft by any means. I did sand down a bald spot on my shins and thighs using it yesterday because I didn't dress accordingly. It's just not as aggressive as a lot of powerlifting bars. The knurl holds chalk really well. I don't know if this is the knurl pattern, the depth, the zinc coating, or all the above, but the chalk stays on the bar. With my generics the chalk would flake off instantly. The knurl also goes all the way out to the sleeves for those who need a very wide snatch grip. Of course the 28mm shaft is perfect for most people to get a proper hook grip, and the knurl won't peel the skin off your thumb while doing it.
Spin:
A lot of time goes into measuring how long a bar can spin and how smooth it spins. There are dozens of threads and videos all over the internet just talking about the spin of a bar. Well this bar spins well enough for almost any and all level of lifters. Perhaps an actual Olympian may lift so much weight so explosively and so quickly that this bar can't keep up and may bind, but 99% of us can't. This bar spins very well. I haven't put a plate on it and timed it, but I have put a plate on it and spun it just for my own amusement (I'm easily amused). It spun well, and for what seemed like a good length of time. Even without a plate on the bar the collars will spin for a couple of seconds on their own. With plates loaded and the bar on the ground, the shaft of the bar will spin inside the stationary collars for a couple of seconds. The spin is quiet and smooth. Perhaps it could spin smoother and faster with some 3-in-1 oil, I don't know, I've never had a reason to need to oil it. I can tell you that on my less than lightning fast cleans and snatches, the bar spins fast enough that the plates can stay facing the same direction from the beginning to the end.
Straightness:
This bar is about as perfectly straight as you can get. As I mentioned above, the shaft spins freely inside the collars when the bar is loaded and the plates are on the ground. I did the standard test a few days ago where I placed the collar against a fixed object and spun both the collar on the shaft, and the shaft inside the collar. I have also rolled the bar on the ground and found that is is perfectly straight. I was unable to detect any curvature in this bar at all. Some bars some with 1mm or so of play in them, and I've recently seen video of a brand new bar that was warped quite a bit. This one is not, and as far as I can find from other reviews, this is typical for Pendlay bars. I find very few mentions of bent Pendlay bars online. And in case anyone was wondering, I'm lazy and do not attempt to catch or gently place my cleans, jerks, or snatches down on the ground. I built a platform and bought a good bar for the purpose of letting gravity do it's job and slam the bar down. I've dropped this bar multiple times from over 7' high. Still straight.
Fit and finish:
The bar has about 1mm of end to end play on each sleeve, which is consistent with most nicer bars I've handled in the past, as well as most of the video reviews I've seen of other high end bars. It is visible, but ever so slight. From what I've seen this is necessary to allow the bar enough freedom of movement to spin properly. I don't consider it an issue at all. In fact you won't even realize it is doing it unless you just happen to grab the bar and move the collar back and forth to test for this specific issue. If I didn't tell you to grab the sleeve and try to slide it, you'd swear there was no end play. The finish on the bar is beautiful, even with all the sweat and chalk I've gotten all over it. It can simply be wiped down and look showroom new.
Using it for powerlifting:
I don't regularly use it for powerlifting since I don't want to risk possibly dropping it across the safety bars on my powerrack. I'm sure it could take it, but I don't like to risk it. I have used it for a few sets of squats. If you're someone who needs center knurl to squat, then this isn't the bar for you obviously. If not, it's a dream to squat with. Benching is of course easy. The grip feels great in the hands. And of course overhead pressing with it is nice, especially on those times when you accidentally nick your chin on the way up or down, the smooth center is a lot more forgiving than most powerlifting center knurl. The only issue with benching or pressing that someone may have is figuring out their proper grip location due to the Olympic markings. But deadlifting is where it shines. After having used a 32mm generic bar for deadlifting since I started, this thing is amazing. The next time I go for a PR I will probably use this bar.
Overall:
As an Olympic bar I'd give it 10/10.
As a powerlifting bar I'd say this is a 9/10, only because of the markings and the lack of center knurl.
As far as owning experience it gets another 10/10.
I can't find any issue with it at all. And I've tried. Being an equipment junkie, I want to someday own an Ivanko/Eleiko/Uesaka/York/etc. I'd like to own one of everything just to say I do. But when it comes down to it, I can't actually justify spending the money on another bar. I'm sure there are people who know a lot more about barbells and have used some $1,000+ bars that would snicker at the thought of this getting rated a 10. Maybe a bearing bar at twice the price really does feel that much better. But for the majority of us, this bar performs well enough that we wouldn't be able to tell the difference. This is a bar that we can use for decades at a time, virtually maintenance free, and never be able to out perform.
For those of you who are easily bored by reading and are more visual people, here is a video review by our friends at RepFitness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfFTyi2Df0E
And here is a video review from some people I've never heard of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqV67QAylI8
And here is a video of it spinning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ll1jwZ7yLk
Member
Nice review KAG, thanks for sharing. Isn't the 28mm version made with the same steel as the bearing bar nowadays? That's some pretty strong steel, doubt you're going to ever bend that unless you really tried hard.
Member
Hey cool review man!
My old CF gym had a bunch of these bars and they were fucking abused daily by dumbass CFers and they still hold up.
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I know, it's an irrational fear. I am slowly getting over it.Originally Posted by PurpleNurple
That's what I'm hoping for.
Member
Good review, I have the same barbell and agree with these points.
I've had it in squat stands lots of times, there are plastic bits so the bar isn't smashing into metal, it's had up to 200kg on it and not deformed.
Member
Thanks for the review KAG.
I'm considering picking up this same bar this weekend. I was going to go with the Rogue Ohio bar, but I can save myself $60 in shipping by picking up the Pendlay bar locally.
My gym has one good olympic bar (but 3 platforms), so it can be a pain if other guys want to work on cleans or olympic lifts.
Member
Update:
My bar survived it's first real test today.
I did not have my head in the game and unloaded all the weight off one side of the bar without taking any off the other side. When I pulled the last plate off, the loaded side slid down, launching the empty side into my powerrack, the weighted side slammed my jerk box (no damage to the box), careened off my project car I have in the garage (dent, but it's a long term project anyway), slammed the weighted the tip of the bar into the concrete, bounced, and sent the empty side of the bar slamming to the ground, to then bounce and take a chuck out of my horse stall mat.
Family came running in to see what happened. They were relieved that I was not involved, and I was cringing at what happened to my bar. I had visions of the collars wobbling or not spinning at all, and there being a bow in the middle of the shaft.
And when I picked it up............ nothing. Not a mark. The only thing noticeable is where the impact knocked off my built up layer of chalk I had on the bar. No scratches or dings from either metal on metal impacts, and no marks from the impact with the concrete. I tested it for straightness, and it was perfectly straight. The collars spin exactly the same.
I went right back to using it.
So buy with confidence. It takes a beating.
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