York 32122 and Ivanko OB-72 - 6' Oly Barbell Match-up and Observations

[AttyGuy]

So, I have a couple 6' Oly bars hanging out the AttyGuy Gym, and I thought I'd share with you some details about them and my observations.

32122 - The York 6’ bar I have is an International Black Oxide Bar that I bought through Allison Foreman in January 2011. "International" is York's designation for products made overseas, versus those made in the Great White North (Canada, eh?). Some retailers are advertising this bar as a "North American" (i.e. Canadian made) bar. It is possible that York had a shift in production.

The shaft is finished with a stylish and modern-looking black oxide coating and the sleevs are hard chromed and split -- split sleeves being a common feature on York bars for decades. The bars are heat tempered with a 30 mm grip and weight is 30 pounds.

OB-72 - Ivanko's 6' bar is, sadly, a discontinued item, though there may be one or two left in the Ivanko warehouse, possibly at a discount. The bar is a beautifully chromed work of art, with the sleeves bolted on at the ends. It is 80,000 psi rated, with an advertised weight of 40 lbs. (mine weighed 35 pounds) and a grip of 1 1/16" (30 mm). The bar is/was an economy line bar, with a retail price comparable to the York 6' Oly bars. The sleeve ends on the Ivanko bar are massive and solid looking.

Observations - With both bars, I found that website descriptions of the bars (e.g., "International" vs. "North American") sometimes varied with the bars in my possession. This may be because of sloppiness on the part of retailers. It probably is because of changes that the manufacturers make over time as they perfect their products (speculation on my part).

Apart from the chrome/black oxide distinction, the most obvious difference is the sleeves. The Ivanko has 11 15/16" of useable space per side and the York has 8 7/8" of useable space. The Ivanko has 45 1/2" between sleeves; the York as 52 1/16". One loads more plates, the other is easier to re-rack in the cage. It's a trade-off with each addressing a market different from the other.

The knurling, in my hands, seems more aggressive on the Ivanko than on the York. Neither is outside the range of acceptable. The knurled sections on both are approximately 16 3/8" wide per side, with witness marks on the York. Neither has center knurling. The space in the middle between knurling is 12 7/8" on the York and 19" on the Ivanko. The sleeves on both spin easily. Finally, on overall length, the Ivanko is approximately 1/4" to 1/2" longer.

Both are/were around the same retail price and both are great bars for someone with a need for an Olympic bar shorter than standard length. I alternate these bars when using them for curls (outside the rack, of course) or standing presses and I confess that I do not favor one over the other. They are both awesome. I confess as well that I'm very excited about the possible new 6' Oly bar from Ivanko in 2013. . . .


Images

The two bars in the rack. Note the 1980's era York 7' Oly bar loaded up with York plates, the Rogue Beater bar standing up on the back left and the 85 and 90-lb roundheads on the back right side of the image. That's just how we roll at AttyGuy's gym. . . .




The Ivanko sleeves have much more useable space, which is good for adding plates, but it makes for a tight fit when returning to the j-hooks after a grueling set of rack curls.




A comparison of the ends of the bars:




A close-up of the knurling on the York bar:




A close-up of the knurling on the Ivanko bar:




Note the brass bushing on the Ivanko bar between the shaft and the sleeve. Nice!

[BloodType3R]

Yorvanko pron!

[Vmango]

Great review, thanks.

So listen. What's the deal with 6' bars? Obviously if space is an issue I can understand but in a gym with space what are some TRUE advantages over using a regular 7'?

[twodog]

Great review Atty ! I've always liked keeping a 6' bar around for certain movements like curls, but the bar I have is cheap and 32mm which isn't comfortable for me. I have since started to use my daughters Rogue Women's Beater bar (25mm) for those movements and like it better than the 32mm bar. A 30mm would be a nice addition for me if I could find one with a nice knurl.

[AttyGuy]

Great review, thanks.

So listen. What's the deal with 6' bars? Obviously if space is an issue I can understand but in a gym with space what are some TRUE advantages over using a regular 7'?

Lol.

The 6' bar is good for people with limited space, and those needing a lighter bar. It is possibly also easier for curls, compared to a 7' bar.

[Vmango]

lol. I hear ya and I've considered getting one strictly for curls...which is about the only thing I can see being advantageous with a 6'.....but then I got to thinking maybe just a woman's bar would be good for that. More or less I'm looking for excuses to buy more bars.

I'm glad you like your York 32122, I certainly like my 32121 that's also 30mm.

[AttyGuy]

'.....but then I got to thinking maybe just a woman's bar would be good for that. More or less I'm looking for excuses to buy more bars.

Excuses to buy bars? You can never really have too many York or Ivanko bars, can you?

[Vmango]

No Sir.

[GarageIron]

The "international" bars are now all Canadian made. This was after a recall in 2006(?)

They are made from US cold rolled steel, I believe from Niagara Lasalle (Like pretty much every North American made bar).

The only Olympic York bars to my knowledge left overseas are the specialty bars.

[AttyGuy]

That is good news. I had read about the recall. Bad stuff. But why continue to use the "International" designation if "North American" is correct and more desirable?

[GarageIron]

That is good news. I had read about the recall. Bad stuff. But why continue to use the "International" designation if "North American" is correct and more desirable?

I agree. They are calling them "International North American Design" bars in the newest catalog, which further confuses folks. I think the steel is now the EDT150 stock (I believe Rogue uses this steel from Lasalle also). There are specs on the Niagara Lasalle website.

York also uses dot matrix printers and there is a old Thunderbird in the corporate lot (the kind that has the molded spare in the trunk) and I'm pretty sure it's Bill's daily driver. I'd venture a guess that market adaptation and change isn't a York corporate priority.

I fire off my crazy ideas there regularly and a few are noted. One was taken seriously and produced for a very short run. I have many more that get laughs or insulted furrowed brows. They have an amazing weld shop crew that makes some top quaility products (FTS Squat/press stands are tanks).

It's a strange and beatiful company. I've put a lot on my eggs in that basket.

[GarageIron]

Wow, I was on my phone earlier and didn't see the pics. It's kind of interesting. Your 32122 looks nothing like the bar of today. VMANGO got his 7' version from me and the sleeve construction on the new bar is identical. It is a split sleeve with a spring pin that runs through an end cap and a hole drilled through the shaft. Same as the B&R bar.

The knurl is also now a larger diamond pattern. I'm hoping VMANGO can get some pics. I dont have one of these right now but the knurl is the same.

The design you have still remains in the specialty bars (32030 and 32031) where the sleeve is actually split at the flange. None of the Canadian made bars have this. There is one bar that mimics that look (32110) The Men's Needle Bearing Training bar. is has the rounded look and a groove down the middle the of the flange that looks like its split (similar to the 32004 which is also not split like the old bars, it just mimics the look) They are a solid piece.

Here is a photo of the newest commercial catalog




and also.. just look for "150"

http://www.niagaralasalle.com/products.html

[Vmango]

Here you go. My York 32121 and a Rogue Operator Bar for comparison (please excuse my old rack, these pics are old):

[rosshmusic]

Here you go. My York 32121 and a Rogue Operator Bar for comparison (please excuse my old rack, these pics are old):]

What type of rack is that?

[Vmango]

What type of rack is that?

An older model Northern Lights Power Cage I picked up off Kijiji for a great deal and later flipped.

[AttyGuy]

Vmango, is that 32121 York bar split sleeve? Good looking bars.

[Vmango]

Vmango, is that 32121 York bar split sleeve? Good looking bars.

Well, it's "split sleeve" (as they call it) but I believe it's fake and just a design feature to pay homage to the old York bars.

[AttyGuy]

Interesting. BTW, I bought my bar from York in January 2011 (amended my original post). I've got the 5' bar, 32123 on the way and I'll post pics of it when it arrives.

[Vmango]

I will add that the 32121 as I've said in a different review is a very nice bar...especially for the price. It really leaves little on the table when compared to the Rogue Bar that's essentially $100 more. I prefer the knurling on the Rogue bar (but the York is good) and the diameter (28.5 Rogue vs 30York) but the spin and finish is equal. In fact I believe both the Rogue bar and the York use the exact same American steel with the York just being a larger diameter....and it is stiffer. I use it as my "power bar."

[GarageIron]

So Atty, I saw your post this morning that you purchased the international bar about a year ago. This was driving me crazy as I've sold dozens of York bars in the last year and have NEVER seen the split sleeve on any bar other than the imported specialty bars. I had to make some calls and snoop around a bit.

I should define that I mean split sleeve by the larger diameter flange being split in 2 pieces, 1 side that rotates and one the is fixed to the bar. I've confirmed that all straight olympic (non specialty) bars with this design were made overseas and production of them ceased 5 years ago before switching to the North American version of the bar.



In the NA version, the sleeve is one piece and rotates on the bar with a bushing (similar to most other bars) At the other end, the shaft is machined down to a standard smaller diametar and extends just past the length of the sleeve and has a hole drilled in it. The end cap goes on and a spring pin is inserted to lock the cap and sleeve on.







Here is the bushing side of one of the newer bars...



The former version was never produced here. How you ended up with an import bar 4 years after they stopped making them is a mystery to me. Old stock perhaps?

[AttyGuy]

GI, I follow you. Check out my thread on the 32123 that I just posted.

[Vmango]

Question for GI, the York power bar and your custom version of it retains the true split sleeve rather than the "fake," no?

[GarageIron]

Question for GI, the York power bar and your custom version of it retains the true split sleeve rather than the "fake," no?

Nope. It is machined from one piece.

[AttyGuy]

Great material here. . . . Seriously.

[BAVE]

Great review, thanks.

So listen. What's the deal with 6' bars? Obviously if space is an issue I can understand but in a gym with space what are some TRUE advantages over using a regular 7'?

At first I was thinking the same thing. Then I realized that this could be one of my most often used bars. I have very tight space in my gym and the 84" bar comes close to the DB rack on one side and the lat machine on the other. The shorter bar would make it possible for me to grab dumbbells while the bar is still racked (otherwise impossible). I have CAP rubber plates so a max of 4 plates on the shorter sleeve is fine for most movements. This would also be great for doing BB rows, Tbar rows, etc. outside of the rack where space is limited for me. Thanks for the review AttyGuy. Ordered one.

[IvankoBarbellCo]

Atty Guy: I think you got the absolute last OB-72. I'd like to see the newer version with a longer dim. inside collar to inside collar like the York. That's about the right length, I think. And there are ways around the "trade off" off more plate loading length on sleeve vs. length of inside collar to collar without compromising the sleeve. You'll be the first to know what we come up with

[AttyGuy]

Atty Guy: I think you got the absolute last OB-72. I'd like to see the newer version with a longer dim. inside collar to inside collar like the York. That's about the right length, I think. And there are ways around the "trade off" off more plate loading length on sleeve vs. length of inside collar to collar without compromising the sleeve. You'll be the first to know what we come up with

Well, if anybody can overcome the trade-off, you guys can. . . . I'm looking foward to 2013 with Ivanko.

[AttyGuy]

Resurrecting for the guy from the Great White north who is looking at a 6' bar.

[CliveWarren]

Resurrecting for the guy from the Great White north who is looking at a 6' bar.

Did you summon me? I'm looking at this with great interest.

I did look at Maxam a few months ago, but they didn't have the 32122 in stock. They did mention they could order anything from York. This is what disappoints me about brick and mortar. Keep some inventory, or lose a sale to Amazon.

[AttyGuy]

Have them order and wait. . . .