American Barbell Cerakote 28mm Training Bar Review

[Cody]

I partnered with Adamant Barbell (who has the best deals on 2% accuracy Troy weight plates, btw) to review this bar. Even if you aren't looking for a 28mm bar, the Cerakote finish is really sweet, I would rock it over zinc, oxide, and chrome for sure.

Check out the review, leave me some feedback, and hopefully work with me on more reviews soon!

https://blog.adamantbarbell.com/3561/am ... ar-review/

[Jay870]

Nice review. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

I'm not at all impressed with Cerakote as a firearms finish but actually think a barbell could be a great application for it. UHMW will wear through it eventually... though it would probably take years in a home gym setting. A kydex (thermoplastic) holster will chew through a cerakoted pistol slide in a few thousand draws.

[Skid]

The knurling looks beautiful! However, just looking at the bar with the very smooth chromed sleeves, it appears that cast iron weights would slide off the sleeves easily, necessitating the use of collars all the time. My two rogue bar sleeves are finished with a final 1/4" per revolution lathe cut that helps keep the weights from sliding off. My other bars with a smooth finish allow the weights to slide easily requiring collars.

[Cody]

The knurling looks beautiful! However, just looking at the bar with the very smooth chromed sleeves, it appears that cast iron weights would slide off the sleeves easily, necessitating the use of collars all the time. My two rogue bar sleeves are finished with a final 1/4" per revolution lathe cut that helps keep the weights from sliding off. My other bars with a smooth finish allow the weights to slide easily requiring collars.

Actually, the smooth sleeves have more surface contact with the plates ID than ridged sleeves, increasing static friction. Is it possible your other bar has a smaller sleeve diameter than the rogue?

Although, I think you should use collars all the time anyway. Once you have enough weight on the bar that it's flexing, you have[/] to use collars.

[Skid]

The knurling looks beautiful! However, just looking at the bar with the very smooth chromed sleeves, it appears that cast iron weights would slide off the sleeves easily, necessitating the use of collars all the time. My two rogue bar sleeves are finished with a final 1/4" per revolution lathe cut that helps keep the weights from sliding off. My other bars with a smooth finish allow the weights to slide easily requiring collars.

Actually, the smooth sleeves have more surface contact with the plates ID than ridged sleeves, increasing static friction. Is it possible your other bar has a smaller sleeve diameter than the rogue?

Although, I think you should use collars all the time anyway. Once you have enough weight on the bar that it's flexing, you have[/] to use collars.

I use collars for my work sets, but not normally for my warm ups. I'll get the vernier calipers out and measure my sleeves:) MY SSB with smooth chrome sleeves is especially bad for weights sliding...

[Cody]

I use collars for my work sets, but not normally for my warm ups. I'll get the vernier calipers out and measure my sleeves:) MY SSB with smooth chrome sleeves is especially bad for weights sliding...

Most SSBs (and specialty bars like fat bars) actually use 1.9" od tubing for the sleeves, not actual 50mm sleeves. Standard collars will fall right off, you generally have to use screw type collars with them.

I'll be interested to see what your barbell mics at!

[Skid]

OK, mic'ed out all my bars using a 1-2" micrometer.

Results:
Rogue - Black oxide center knurl (forget name) with rough cut black oxide sleeves - 1.971"
Rogue - Black oxide no center knurl (forget name)with rough cut black oxide sleeves - 1.966"
Cap - SSB with smooth sleeves - 1.962"
Rogue - Swiss (appears made of pipe or tubing) - 1.906"
Chinese (chrome plated but peeling off)- 1.965"
Olympic (Chrome plated) - 1.971"
Unknown Curl (Chrome plated) - 1.966"
Custom log (stainless bar stock)- 2.000"

Also, I incorrectly stated that the Rogue bars had a 1/4" per revolution finish cut on the sleeves. It is actually much finer than that. More like 1/32" per revolution They have a much rougher surface than the smooth finish like on the Cap SSB, which although slightly smaller in diameter than the Rogue's (a few thou), allows the weights to slide. I have to use collars on the Cap SSB even for 1 plate warm ups.

[Cody]

Interesting. I wonder if it has to do with the coating/surface CoF of the SSB?

[Skid]

Interesting. I wonder if it has to do with the coating/surface CoF of the SSB?

Looks to be a standard chromed finish to me. The bar is a bushing bar too which shouldn't make a difference.

https://www.fitnessavenue.ca/olympic-safety-squat-bar

[Allentown]

Rogue - Black oxide center knurl (forget name) with rough cut black oxide sleeves - 1.971"

I wonder if this is the old Rogue Power Bar (Rogue Ohio Power Bar predecessor)? It just has the one set of rings at powerlifting width? I've been using spring collars with mine, and never understood why so many people have a problem with junky plates sliding around with $30+ collars when I've never had a problem with spring collars keeping junky plates in place despite pretty high rep deadlift work. It might be because the collars are a tiny bit larger than most people's bars...

[Skid]

Rogue - Black oxide center knurl (forget name) with rough cut black oxide sleeves - 1.971"

I wonder if this is the old Rogue Power Bar (Rogue Ohio Power Bar predecessor)? It just has the one set of rings at powerlifting width? I've been using spring collars with mine, and never understood why so many people have a problem with junky plates sliding around with $30+ collars when I've never had a problem with spring collars keeping junky plates in place despite pretty high rep deadlift work. It might be because the collars are a tiny bit larger than most people's bars...

Yep that's the one. All I use is spring collars and don't normally have issues. My other Rogue bar without the center knurling has 2 sets of rings on both sides.

[iamsmu]

I have a birthday coming up. . . . I'm not sure that I should mention this, since I'm trying to get them to make a red women's version for me. They couldn't get it done in time for my wife's birthday. But maybe it will happen for christmas. . . .

[Cody]

I have a birthday coming up. . . . I'm not sure that I should mention this, since I'm trying to get them to make a red women's version for me. They couldn't get it done in time for my wife's birthday. But maybe it will happen for christmas. . . .

Oooh, they'll do one-off custom runs?! Do tell. Did you just email them and ask?

[iamsmu]

I have a birthday coming up. . . . I'm not sure that I should mention this, since I'm trying to get them to make a red women's version for me. They couldn't get it done in time for my wife's birthday. But maybe it will happen for christmas. . . .

Oooh, they'll do one-off custom runs?! Do tell. Did you just email them and ask?

I don't know if they will do customs. I think the coating process is too expensive. I dunno. I emailed Phil, the guy who posted on your review from American Barbell. He said he'd look into running a women's barbell in the next batch of red in the next month or so. This thing is probably pretty hard to keep track of, so I wouldn't be shocked it they forget. But it would be nice if it happens.

I'd really like to get one of these. I'm not all that happy with the knurling on the Bella. It's too passive. I suspect that the one I got my wife might not be typical. Perhaps the machine was dull. (I have no idea how they cut knurling. .. . .) The knurling is much more shallow than my Ohio bar. . . . . In an case, I'd like to try one from American Barbell.