Hi, I'm in need of a quality power bar to replace my current piece of junk. I'd narrowed down my search to either the ATX ram bar or the Rogue Ohio power bar, pretty much settling on the ATX mainly due to it being £70 cheaper here in the UK.
However, both these bars have ribbed sleeves and due to the noise this generates and given my training area is directly beneath both of my children's bedrooms, I'm wondering if there are any other options for a smooth sleeved barbell?
I believe the Starting Strength bar and Texas power bars are both smooth, however these are considerably more than the previously mentioned bars, at around £420 including shipping, compared to £290 for the ATX and £355 for the Rogue.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Adam
Alternatively, if anyone has used both the ATX and Rogue and could say which of the sleeves has less severe ribbing.
Thanks
Thanks. I've checked again and a TPB comes in at £386, with a blemished one at £361.
I've just read in another thread that both the Starting Strength bar and TPB have ribbed sleeves, albeit the SS is less severe.
I did an experiment with a trap bar I don't use which has ribbed sleeves, and sliding my rubber bumpers with stainless inserts created hardly any noise compared to my iron plates.
So maybe I just need more bumpers 😁
Some bumper plates have a insert with a rounded inner chamfer on/in the hole .... kind of like a trumpet opening?
I'd imagine that slides over the "ribs" (grooves) in a better way.
Iron plates, or say competition style bumpers, (and some bumpers) will either have a sharp edge, or a slight 45 deg. bevel there ....
...one way or another, beveled or not, an angled corner is going to rub on the sleeve grooves ... which goes "da da da da da" as it slides over the bar sleeve.
So yes, what you said above ...