TITAN Blues City power bar vs Rogue Thor bar [Article, Video]

This is a comparison of the Titan Blues city power barbell and the Rogue Thor bar. Follow the links for more detail.

Overview & Review of the Rogue Thor power bar

This overview of the Rogue Thor 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: 450$

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Thor bar

The Thor bar pays tribute to the seven-time strongest man of Iceland Hafbor Julius Björnsson. He also starred in Game of Thrones as the mountain, helping Cersei to fend off attackers and crush the Vipers skull. The Thor bar uses the cerakote coating to put Hafbor's nickname Thor and an Icelandic flag onto an Ohio Power bar. It comes in a 45lb and 20kg version.

The diameter of this barbell is 29mm. The shaft withstands 205K of tensile strength and has no whip. The knurling is very aggressive to suit the needs of powerlifters. The loadable sleeve length is either 16.25 or 16.88 depending on which version of the Thor bar you will get. The sleeve coating is available in Cerakote or Chrome.

The Rogue Ohio power bar is quite popular and has a good reputation among home gym owners who mainly focus on powerlifting. The Thor and the Ohio power bar are not that far apart in price, so you might as well get the more modern version. Alternatives to the Thor power bar are the Rogue Ohio power bar, The Rogue deadlift bar and the Westside bar.

Pros of the Thor bar

The design is innovative and you get a strong powerlifting bar which connects you to one of the greatest strongmen of our time when you train. Especially if you own a home gym and want to give it the extra special touch, this can be a good choice. No whip is a great option for bench presses and squats. You want as little whip as possible on these two movements.

Cons of the Thor bar

As with all the new Rogue bars you have to like the design. If you are a Brian Shaw fan or want to appeal to the masses in your gym you might be better off getting a barbell with fewer design features on it. The Thor power bar is also a focused bar. If you want to keep things flexible you might be better off getting the Chan or Ohio bar. The price tag of 450 USD might also be off-putting to some.

Conclusion

The Thor bar is a great addition to the Rogue portfolio which honors one of the great athletes of our time. If you are from Iceland or like Game of Thrones this is a good option. For the budget conscious among you you will also have the option to go for the Rogue Ohio Power bar. This is the same base, but not as nicely finished as the Thor bar.

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

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
Overall Outside Knurling Width: 17”
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:

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 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.