TITAN Blues city barbell vs Rogue Olympic barbells [Article, Video]

This is a comparison of the Rogue Olympic barbells and the TITAN BLues City barbell. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue Olympic weightlifting barbells

This overview of the Rogue Olympic barbells was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.

Price: 495$

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Rogue Oly barbells

The rogue Olympic barbell weighs 20kg, has a diameter of 28mm and a tensile strength of 215K PSI. There are five different versions of this bar which come with different price tags:

The bright zinc has the lowest price tag at 495$ while the stainless steel comes in at 595$. The cerakote and EU Steel version retail at 545$, while the women's version comes in at 495$. Apart from the women's bar all of these come with 16.25 loadable sleeve length and chrome sleeve coating. All of these bars work with bearing for better spin. As with the Pyrros bar, they are approved by the IWF.

The EU steel bar is made of EU steel in the USA. There are some in the industry which claim that American steel does not behave the same as EU steel and therefore weightlifting bars made from EU steel are better. If you are inclined to believe this and still want a rogue barbell this is the option for you.

The cerakote bar is a slightly prettier and durable version of the bright zinc Oly bar which also comes in at a slightly higher cost. Rogue made a big push in 2018 for their new cerakote finish of the bar which lasts longer than bright zinc and leaves more freedom for designs.

The stainless version retails at the same price as the Pyrros bar. In my opinion, you might as well get the champions name on it for the same price unless you have something against greeks.

The bright zinc version would be the best for a reputable gym with athletes that have aspirations to compete at national and international level. It saves 100$ per barbell compared to other options while still being professional. If you want to provide the best bar for weightlifting purposes for less ambitioned clientele there is also the training for 295$.

Pros of the Rogue Oly bars

This is a workhorse barbell for the professional. If you want to train the future masters of the universe this is the way to go. The bright zinc finish saves you 100$ per barbell compared to the stainless options and the Pyrros while not comprising on the bearing or whip.

Cons of the Rogue Oly bars

The price is still high for general use cases with many members. Especially in a CrossFit box where people still learn the technique, drop the barbells against walls or bang off other equipment, this might be over the top. If you still want a barbell with a great whip to mainly focus on Oly lifts the training bar might be a better option. It won't make your heart sink as much when a 295$ bar gets abused.

Conclusion

Rogue Oly bars might be a bit pricey compared to their Rogue Ohio bar brothers and sisters. It always depends on perspective. If you want to have the feel of championship weightlifting the fairer comparison would be the Eleiko bars. Compared to the Eleiko range the rogue bars have a very reasonable price.

Learn more about the specs of the Rogue Olympic barbell and purchase on the Rogue website

Overview and review of the Blues City Cerakote

The Blues City Cerakote barbell will put you back about $300. TITAN is well known for their very good prices compared to their competition and will get you started on your home gym. This review was originally posted in “which barbell to get from TITAN”.

Overview of the Blues city Olympic barbell

This is the top of the line barbell from TITAN you will get a great barbell with all of the necessary knurlings to do powerlifting or weightlifting. You can decide between colors and the cerakote finish give this bar a good look, while still being up for high standards. Here the specifications and features of the Blues City:

Available colors:

Black
Blue
Bronze
Red

Bar details

Made In The USA.
No center knurling.
Cerakote shaft to prevent corrosion and abrasions.
Dual knurl marks with standard knurling.
Zinc sleeves with Bronze Bushings for consistent spins.
High tensile strength.
Provides a good whip.
Weight: 20kg
Overall Length: 86.75”
Shaft Grip Diameter: 28.5mm
Overall Knurling Width: 16”
Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25 per sleeve
Knurl Type: Standard Knurling

Pros of the Blues City barbell

For a cerakote bar, this is a very good price. Compared to other TITAN barbells the price might be a little high for you, especially if you don’t care that much about the color of your barbell.

Cons of the Blues City barbell

If you are buying in bulk this might not be the option for you as the costs will multiply out. If you want to simulate closer what happens in competition this bar is neither IPF nor IWF approved. For this, you would have to go with Eleiko or Rogue bars.

Alternatives to the Blues CIty

Alternatives to the TITAN Blues City are

The Titan Atlas bar is a great option from TITAN to save money when you buy in bulk while still providing great service to your clients. The Atlas bar is the all-around workhorse out of the TITAN portfolio.

The Rogue Pyrros bar has been co-designed by Rogue and three-time Olympic weightlifting champion Pyrros Dimas. It has recently been approved by the IWF to be used at official competitions.

The Rogue Ohio power bar is the powerlifting adaptation of the Rogue Ohio bar. This barbell has recently been approved by the IPF to be officially used in their competitions.

Summary for the Blues City bar

If you want a stylish cerakote bar on a budget this is the one to get. If you are buying in multiples or you are preparing for a professional competition you might want to go with different options.