Recommendation for an Olympic lift bar

[jimmyc]

Lately I've been squirreling some money away for an Olympic Lift only bar, preferrably bearing based. I doubt that it will ever see much more than 300lbs, but I want one that I can drop from overhead onto a platform. I'd also like recommendations for collars for such a bar.

I would prefer if you can recommend bars that you have used, not read about and I really like to stay under $700 for one. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

[stonerider]

i like the B&R bar that i have, but the bearings are eating into the bar a little bit

i don't know if that's from something i did, a bad batch from production, or the quality of the bar in general

i've only had the bar for around a year, maybe

[Mac Ward]

I have the B&R bar as well. I love it.

sr - have you put 3:1 oil in in your sleeves? You need to due to the bare metal. Helps keeps it spinning freely as well.

[jimmyc]

i like the B&R bar that i have, but the bearings are eating into the bar a little bit

i don't know if that's from something i did, a bad batch from production, or the quality of the bar in general

i've only had the bar for around a year, maybe

When you say that the bushings are eating into the bar, is it causing a problem with thee free spin of the bar ? I like the B&R bar as far as feel because of the the raw steel, but was wondering if needle bearings made much of a difference.
Thanks,
Jimmy

[stonerider]

hasn't caused any problems or noticeable effects yet


and no, i haven't used oil on the bearings, though i guess i will now

wish that would have been communicated to me when i purchased the bar

[Mac Ward]

wish that would have been communicated to me when i purchased the bar

After about 2 1/2 years, one of the collars quit spinning like the other. I wrote Bill Henninger at Rogue, he told me to do this:

Take the bar, stand it up, pour plenty of 3:1 oil into the sleeve and allow it to sit over night.

Do the same for the other sleeve the following night.

What he didn't tell me was that some of the oil will run through the collar. So...put a towl underneath it unless it's on concrete or something you don't care about. Worked for me.

[wendys]

we use the pendlay nextgen bearing ones and love them.

[Alberto Velazquez]

I have Rogue's Bruiser Bar. Its combo PL/WL type of bar. Just under 300 with shipping. No complaints.

[jimmyc]

Has anyone used the York International or Elite bearing bars ?

[Dastardly]

Has anyone used the York International or Elite bearing bars ?

Yes, there is no discernable difference between a good bushing bar and a bearing bar.

Older eleiko's have the bushing design, the york weightlifting training bar is almost exactly the same as the B&R bar except that it is chrome. I was getting a bearing bar, id be worried that it wasnt a cheap bar trying to be more than it could be. Eleiko bars have something silly like 8 cartridge bearings per sleeve, I am guessing cheaper imitations wont and will therefore suffer durability issues.