Barbells that Spin are Fun

Yes they are!

Below you’ll find a couple of very nice Olympic Weightlifting Bars for under $250. To put that in perspective, it’s about half as much as an OLY bar you’d buy from Rogue.

• Bells of Steel: Olympic Weightlifting Bar – The B.o.S. Bar 2.0
• Rep Fitness: Gladiator WL Bearing Bar

These bars have been built specifically for the Olympic lifts like the clean, snatch, and clean and jerk. Many shy away from OLY bars in general because the price is almost a mortgage payment, and most do more than just these three lifts. Nevertheless, here are a few that you’ll be able to trust without breaking the bank.

Below is a quick comparison, which you’ll be able to read in less than 90 seconds.

As mentioned, they are both excellent bars for the price but do have some differences. With a center knurl and only 1 set of knurl markings, the Gladiator Bar matches the specs of a true Weightlifting Bar. The B.o.S. bar has dual knurl marks and does not have a center knurl. If you aren’t looking to replicate a meet setting, this isn’t a huge deal, but it will save your neck a few times.

More details:

• Both bars have a very nice spin. The Gladiator Barbell has 3 needle bearings and 2 bushings per sleeve. The B.o.S bar has 5 needle bearings (1 stainless steel) per sleeve. Overall, the Bells of Steel Bar has a longer, but still manageable spin.
• The knurling for the Bells of Steel bar is more aggressive, while the Gladiator has more of a medium knurl (better for CrossFit workouts).
• Both have a hardened chrome coating, which should reduce rust as time goes along
• B.o.S has a 240k PSI vs. 230k PSI from Rep
• Rep starts out at $219 vs. $249 and Free Shipping from Bells

In conclusion, these are both really nice barbells at an excellent price. A lot of factors like your knurl, spin, and “center knurl” preference goes into it, but you really can’t go wrong here.

If you had to choose…. the Bells of Steel option may be the one when looking to do lower reps because of the spin and knurling. If it’s a barbell you also want to use for CrossFit or higher rep workouts, in addition to OLY lifts, the Gladiator Bar would probably be the choice

Be on the lookout for a more thorough review in the next coming months! Sign up to get those and other blog posts straight to your email below: