Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
A 28 mm needle-bearing bar in two versions whose specs diverge more than the price suggests — 240,000 PSI chrome or 190,000 PSI Cerakote.
Specs
| Shaft diameter | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
|---|---|
| Length | 86.6 in (2,200 mm) |
| Max capacity | 1,543 lb (chrome) or 1,500 lb (Cerakote) |
| Tensile strength | 240,000 PSI (chrome) or 190,000 PSI (Cerakote) |
| Knurl | Medium |
| Knurl marks | Weightlifting and powerlifting (chrome) or weightlifting only (Cerakote) |
| Center knurl | Yes, both versions |
| Shaft finish | Hardened chrome or black Cerakote |
| Sleeve finish | Hardened chrome or titanium plated |
| Loadable sleeve length | 16.3 in (414 mm) chrome, 17.5 in (445 mm) Cerakote |
| Sleeve assembly | Needle bearings and snap rings |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime |
These figures are copied from Bells of Steel’s own published specs and were last checked on 2026-08-31. Manufacturers revise products without notice, and variants differ. Confirm anything your decision depends on with Bells of Steel before you buy.
Choose this one if
- You clean, snatch and jerk and want bearings rather than bushings
- You want a single bar that will also handle squats and presses
- You are willing to read the spec table before picking a colour
The detail
The two finishes are not the same bar. Bells of Steel lists the hardened chrome version at 240,000 PSI tensile and 1,543 lb capacity with both weightlifting and powerlifting knurl marks; the Cerakote version at 190,000 PSI, 1,500 lb, and weightlifting marks only. The Cerakote gets a longer loadable sleeve — 17.5 inches against 16.3. Most listings for this bar treat the choice as cosmetic. It is not.
If you want the strongest steel and dual marks so the bar works for pressing and pulling as well as the Olympic lifts, take the chrome. If you want the extra sleeve length and the look, and 190,000 PSI is more than you will ever need at a 1,500 lb rating — which for almost everyone it is — the Cerakote is fine.
Needle bearings are the reason to buy this over the Powerlifting Bar. Bearings spin faster and with less breakaway friction than bushings, which is what lets the bar rotate under a fast turnover instead of dragging on your wrists. They are also more sensitive to grit and chalk, so keep it off the floor and in a holder.
Medium knurl and a 28 mm shaft is the standard weightlifting geometry, and the centre knurl on both versions is a compromise: correct for the clean, annoying under a bench press. Note it before you buy this as your only bar.