TITAN Blues City power bar vs Rogue chan bar [Article, Video]
This is a comparison of the Titan Blues city power barbell and the Rogue chan bar. Follow the links for more detail.
Rogue fitness vs TITAN Fitness
Rogue Fitness is the current market leader when it comes to a functional home gym and commercial gym equipment. They have one of the widest portfolios including racks, barbells, benches, dumbbells, and apparel for the weekend warrior and dedicated athlete. The biggest downside of Rogue Fitness is their comparatively high prices to the competition.
TITAN Fitness is the clear cost leader when you want to build a home gym on a budget that is still similar to what Rogue offers in function, look, and feel. While you will save about half on the sticker price you will run a higher risk of inconsistencies in quality compared to a purchase from Rogue. The equipment will be safe but is more likely to have blemishes, quality issues with welds or that pieces will not easily fit into place. That makes TITAN a good option for a DIY enthusiast who does not mind tinkering with their equipment, but not the first choice to get the best equipment and treat yourself.
Overview and review of the Rogue chan bar
This overview of the Rogue Chan 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: 395$
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Rogue Chan bar
The
Matt Chan bar was the first
Rogue barbell to be introduced with an athletes name.
Matt Chan and
Rogue have been working closely in the last few years. You can see this in the many equipment demos done by Matt.
Matt Chan is a former firefighter and finished multiple times in the top ten of the Crossfit games. Since
Rogue updated their Cerakote range they had another go at the
Chan bar design.
The
Chan bar is an
Ohio bar on steroids. You get a better design, a
centre
knurl and a stainless steel shaft for 395$. If you want to spend the extra 100$ USD compared to the
Ohio bar this is the all-purpose
barbell to get. The design was created to fit Olympic and powerlifting needs alike.
The bar comes in at 20kg of weight, 200K tensile strength
and
a Good whip. The diameter is 28.5mm and the sleeves spin via bushing.
Rogue offers two variations on the sleeves, one being
cerakote
the other chrome. It seems that cerakote does not respond well to metal to metal contact. If you want to use
steel plates with the
chan bar maybe opt for the chrome sleéves. The loadable sleeve length is 16.5 which is a bit longer than the other standard bars.
Pros of the Chan bar
This bar has a lot of pros and only a few cons. You get a
stainless steel bar for 100$ USD less compared to the
oly
options. The bit of extra knurling helps with front squats. This is
the best value for money bar you can get above 300USD from
rogue. In addition, you also get a cool design. If you want to do everything in your home gym, this is the one to go for.
Cons of the chan bar
If you have to fit out an entire gym with 10 - 20 barbells 100$ a piece does make a difference.
This bar is also too pretty to be used in military installations or with beginners. For these scenarios, you are probably better off buying the
Ohio,
Castro,
C-70 or
operator bar. The training bar might also be a better option if you only want to do Oly lifts, as it has a better whip at a lower price. The bushing might also not be ideal if you are a competitive weightlifter. The bars you will use in your competition have the bearing.
Conclusion
Matt Chan has been with Rogue barbell and CrossFit for years. If a bar is allowed to carry his name you can rest assured that it is the best you can get for CrossFit or all purpose barbell training. This bar is a good value for money option in the Rogue line up. If you have to buy in bulk there is always the Rogue Ohio bar.
Overview and review of the Blues City power bar
The Blues City Power bar 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 power bar
The
blues city power bar is especially geared towards powerlifters and their needs. This is achieved by less whip in the bar, higher PSI strength, and more aggressive knurling. This provides better grip and less movement in the bar which can get challenging especially on very heavy squats and bench presses. There is a case to be made that whip actually helps the deadlift as it shortens the distance the weight has to be pulled especially for sumo deadlifts. The TITAN power barbell comes in black. The features and specifications of this barbell are:
Barbell details
-
Made In The USA with 100% US sourced materials.
-
Center knurling.
-
Oxide shaft to prevent corrosion and abrasions.
-
Power Lifting knurl marks with aggressive knurling.
-
Zinc sleeves with Bronze Bushings for consistent spins.
-
High tensile strength.
-
Provides little to no whip.
-
Weight: 20kg
-
Overall Length: 86.25”
-
Shaft Grip Diameter: 28.5mm
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Overall Outside Knurling Width: 17”
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Center Knurling Width: 5”
-
Tensile Strength: 200,000 PSI
-
Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.125 per sleeve
-
Shaft Length: 51.5”
-
Shaft Color: Black Oxide
-
Sleeve Material: Zinc
-
Bushings/Bearings: Bronze Bushings
-
Knurl Type: Aggressive Knurling
A good option for powerlifters who want something special at a reasonable price.
Pros of the power bar
This bar comes with center knurling, aggressive knurling, and stiff steel. It will hold chalk better than other TITAN models and therefore give the little edge for your powerlifting. Compared to the market it also comes at a reasonable price.
Cons of the power bar
If you want to use it for multiple people who are not that dedicated to training, they might complain that this bar is too aggressive on their hands. Experienced weightlifters will prefer a bar with whip to use the momentum to get more weight over their heads.
Alternatives to the TITAN power bar
You can have a look at the following alternatives to the TITAN power bar:
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 TITAN power bar
This is a good budget option for the ambitious home powerlifter on a budget. If you are buying multiples you might want to go to the
Atlas bar. If you are planning a professional competition look into the Rogue and
Eleiko portfolio to use approved barbells.