Barbells / BUYING GUIDE

Choose a barbell for your main lifts

Shaft diameter, centre knurl and grip marks give you a clearer starting point than the finish alone.

By Mahmoud2 min read

How I choose equipment About buying links

My verdict

I’d buy a power bar if squat, bench and deadlift made up most of my lifting. For a mixed programme, I’d choose the Ohio or Colorado. I’d pay for a dedicated weightlifting bar once snatches, cleans and jerks were regular work.

In this guide

The shortlist

One bar for mixed sessions

Rogue Ohio Bar 20 kg — E-Coat

The 20 kg E-Coat Ohio uses a 28.5 mm shaft, bronze bushings and no centre knurl. It covers a broader mix of lifts than Rogue’s dedicated power bar.

Details & retailers

Squat, bench and deadlift

Rogue Ohio Power Bar 20 kg — stainless/chrome

The stainless/chrome Ohio Power has a 29 mm shaft, coarse knurling and a knurled centre. Rogue Australia lists this specific version.

Details & retailers

A dedicated weightlifting bar

Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar 20 kg — 3085912

Eleiko model 3085912 has a 28 mm shaft, needle bearings and its training knurl. This is the specialist option when Olympic lifts justify the purchase.

Details & retailers

Decide what will touch your hands and shoulders

Bar	Shaft and centre	Intended emphasis
Rogue Ohio / REP Colorado	28.5 mm; no centre knurl	Mixed strength and weightlifting sessions
Rogue Ohio Power / REP Double Black Diamond	29 mm; centre knurl	Squat, bench and deadlift
Eleiko Performance 3085911	28 mm; mild centre knurl	Weightlifting mixed with general strength work
Eleiko IWF Training 3085912	28 mm; needle bearings	Dedicated snatch, clean and jerk practice

Is the finish worth the extra cost?

The Ohio profile covers an E-Coat shaft with zinc sleeves. The Ohio Power profile covers stainless steel with chrome sleeves. Their price difference therefore includes a finish difference. Match that specification when asking another retailer for an equivalent offer.

Spend on the grip and construction you want to use, then choose a finish you can maintain in the room. An expensive coating does not make a power bar’s aggressive knurl feel like a milder mixed-use bar.

Finish the barbell order

Include collars and the plate set in the budget. Heavy lifters should measure the loadable sleeves against their intended plates; thin calibrated discs and rubber bumpers use very different amounts of sleeve space.

A curl bar can remain a useful accessory alongside the main bar. Power Maxx’s Olympic Super Curl uses angled grips and 17 cm loadable sleeves for curls and extensions with your Olympic plates. Allow space for collars when using thick plates. Free-barbell squats and bench presses still call for a rack-compatible straight bar.