TITAN Blues city barbell vs Rogue Russian bar [Article, Video]
This is a comparison of the TITAN Blues city barbell and the Rogue Russian bar. Follow the links for more details.
Overview & Review of the Rogue Russian bar
This overview of the Rogue Russian bar 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: 769$
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Russian bar
The
Russian bar became popular in the 1960s and was used at the Olympic games in 1980. It weighs 20kg and uses a diameter of 28mm. It withstands 200.000 PSI and has a chrome finish with 16.25 of loadable sleeve length. The design is unique and optimized fur multiple reps. To achieve this
the bar has special sleeves combined with special collars. These enable you to do multiple repetitions on the Olympic lifts
without having to reset the bar.
Rogue took the old model of the
Russian bar and applied their modern knowledge and technology to bring
the bar into the 21st century.
The bar has a
centre
knurl and Olympic knurl marks. It also comes with bearing for a better spin off the sleeves.
This high quality and special manufacturing make it the
highest priced Rogue bar to date. You ultimately get what you pay for and this is the top end.
Pros of the Russian bar
You get the best of the best with added functionality for weightlifters. The shaft is made of stainless steel while the sleeves are made of chrome. This is combined with extra functionality through the click and tighten mechanics.
If you have Olympic weightlifters who want to fully focus on multi-rep sets this is the bar to go for. This is the right bar for serious athletes who are subsidized by the state to win gold medals. Put this bar into an environment where this is big respect for the sport of weightlifting and the equipment used.
Cons of the Russian bar
The high price tag makes it not really a feasible option for a home gym or Crossfit box. If you have to buy many barbells, the price will get unacceptable compared to the
Ohio bar as you can get twice as many barbells for the same budget. If your gym is mainly powerlifting focused you might also
want to look into other barbells.
As the collars are specialized the
Russian bar might also not be the right choice for a commercial gym or military facilities where there are a lot of people. Collars tend to get lost in those environments and they are an essential piece of the functionality and price of
this barbell.
Conclusion
The Russian bar is a great addition to an already existing weightlifting gym which honors the past. You get some extra functionality which seasoned weightlifters will appreciate and respect. This piece of equipment would be wasted on beginners or people who do care little about the sport of weightlifting.
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:
Bar details
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Made In The USA.
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No center knurling.
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Cerakote shaft to prevent corrosion and abrasions.
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Dual knurl marks with standard knurling.
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Zinc sleeves with Bronze Bushings for consistent spins.
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High tensile strength.
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Provides a good whip.
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Weight: 20kg
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Overall Length: 86.75”
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Shaft Grip Diameter: 28.5mm
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Overall Knurling Width: 16”
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Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
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Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25 per sleeve
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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
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.
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.