Will Ivanko Olympic Rubber E-Z Lift® Plates fit on Body Solid Olympic Bar

[T-Rage]

I'm building a home gym and have a rack and Olympic bar on the way :-). I went with the Body Solid Olympic bar specified in the link below. I've done quite a bit of reading/research on what Olympic plates to go with and I decided on the Ivanko series specified in the link below as well. It's been mentioned that the Ivanko series may or may not fit on all Olympic bars.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with the compatibility of this Body Solid Olympic bar with these Ivanko plates? Any feedback is much appreciated!

Sorry...I'm not allowed links yet so you will have to copy and paste them :-(.

Ivanko Olympic Rubber E-Z Lift® Plate series
"ivankobarbell.com/products/roezh/"

Body Solid Olympic Bar Black OB86B
"bodysolid.com/commercial/OB86B/7_ft__Olympic_Bar-_Black"

[weisgarb]

The holes in Ivanko plates are between 50.2mm (1.976") and 50.8mm (2.00"). If the sleeves on your bar are an even 2", some plates will fit while others won't (I had this problem when I picked up a few used Ivanko plates this past fall). You should contact Body Solid to see if they can provide you with the minimum/maximum diameter of the bar you ordered, or since it's on its way, it's probably better if you wait for it to arrive so you can measure it yourself.

I should mention that you've chosen an unusual pairing of plates and a bar. You're looking at getting some of the most expensive plates you can buy, but then went with what appears to be a relatively low-end barbell. That's not necessarily a bad thing--I've been using a cheap Cap bar for over a decade--but usually people who drop that kind of money on plates will get a better quality bar. It's kind of like putting very expensive wheels on a Ford Escort.

[T-Rage]

OK great! I will see if Body Solid can get me the sleeve diameter for the bar. Otherwise I'll have to play it safe and wait. I have some calipers I can throw on the bar accurate to 0.001" just to make sure its consistent along its length.

Yes I totally agree with you about the odd combination. I doubt I'll ever be throwing around more weight than the bar can handle and if I can someday I'll gladly pay for a top notch bar! Also, I'm very picky about the plates. I wanted rubber coated and to be able to change them without much hassle (E-Z part of the plates) and I also don't want to risk going cheap and having the plates be off by more than a couple percent. I figure I'll start out with maybe 100 lbs. worth and add to my collection over a few months. This also forces me to take my time building my foundation before getting stupid and throwing on more weight than I can handle. Also, you better believe that I will bust my ass and lift knowing what I paid for the plates :-).

[Keetman]

Have you already made the order or would it be possible to change it? Just curious.....you dropped so much change on the plates, if I were you I'd just get a Texas Power Bar. I wouldn't normally say it was "necessary", but it would be a good combination of value and quality....for not a lot more than you probably paid for the BS Bar. You can usually get the TPB for around $270. Just a suggestion, like you said....I'm sure you'll be fine with the BS, I'm not trying to talk it down. I just know you can't go wrong with the TPB, it's built forever, it's not terribly expensive, and the Ivankos will fit on it.

Plus....they make really sexy pron when caught at the right angle:

[T-Rage]

Keetman...yeah as I laid down last night I was thinking the same thing. The Body Solid has not shipped yet and I could probably change it up. The Body Solid bar was around $119 on Amazon so the Texas Power Bar would be an additional $150. That is certainly doable and knowing that my Ivankos would fit the bar is quite reassuring. I'll have to think about it this morning.

[Vermonter]

Aesthetically, the Black BS bar will match the rubber coated Ivankos well (if they fit alright).
As you indicated, 600 lbs. capacity will do for the amount of weight you will be lifting.

Having said that, If I were you I'd try to hunt down a used York bar.

Put a wanted ad on your local Craigslist(s) and you may be able to get a quality bar that will last forever for a lot less $.

[weisgarb]

Keetman...yeah as I laid down last night I was thinking the same thing. The Body Solid has not shipped yet and I could probably change it up. The Body Solid bar was around $119 on Amazon so the Texas Power Bar would be an additional $150. That is certainly doable and knowing that my Ivankos would fit the bar is quite reassuring. I'll have to think about it this morning.

If it hasn't shipped I'd definitely try to cancel--it's not a good deal for $119. It's only rated at 600 lbs static load, and if you really wanted the bar, you can get it for $20 cheaper if you buy it from Fitness Factory through Amazon (FF is the outlet for Body Solid).

If you wanted to keep the price low, you could even consider the Cap OB-86B (similar model number, but completely different bar) which Amazon is currently selling for $142 shipped. WalMart even carries it. I can't guarantee that this bar will fit Ivankos, but if you search the site, you'll find a number of reviews on this particular bar, as several forum members have purchased one over the past few weeks. Someone may be able to provide you with actual measurements. In any case, it's much better quality than the entry-level Body Solid bar and is only $20 more than what you currently plan to get. Amazon lists it as a 1000-lb static test bar, but it's actually 1200-lbs.

http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-Po...rds=Cap+OB-86B

The Texas Bar that Keetman mentions is well regarded and is made by Capp (not to be confused with the Cap bar above), but be aware that the knurling is rather aggressive. I've never put my hands on one, but some people have commented that it's a bit excessive. The bar is primarily designed for power lifting, so if you plan to do any Olympic style lifting (including power cleans), the knurling could be a problem.

[Stasher1]

If you're anywhere near the Atlanta area, there's a set of Ivanko ROEZH and plate tree listed for $400.


http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/spo/3428776066.html

[qwan456]

If you wanted to keep the price low, you could even consider the Cap OB-86B (similar model number, but completely different bar) which Amazon is currently selling for $142 shipped.

Or get it at Wayfair.
http://www.wayfair.com/Cap-Barbell-S...B-CBB1047.html
Promo code: BHGDEAL

It will lower the price by $14.26 for a total of $128.34 shipped.

[T-Rage]

I'm cancelling the Body Solid bar order right now and I will continue to research with all the additional information provided. Thanks for all the input!

[moto46]

I have a BS tricep bar, ivanko's fit on that fine.

[T-Rage]

I have a BS tricep bar, ivanko's fit on that fine.

OK that's good to know just in case I can't cancel. I'm nearly certain those bars are probably manufactured in the same facility and to the same specs.

[T-Rage]

I tried to cancel the order for the Body Solid bar but an hour later they told me it already shipped. No worries...I'll see if the Invankos fit on it. I'll do a quick review of it as well here for others who may be interested in a less expensive bar. If it works I'll be happy.

[weisgarb]

I tried to cancel the order for the Body Solid bar but an hour later they told me it already shipped. No worries...I'll see if the Invankos fit on it. I'll do a quick review of it as well here for others who may be interested in a less expensive bar. If it works I'll be happy.

As long as the sleeves are an appropriate size (and they probably are), I wouldn't worry about it. While $120 is a bit steep for what you're getting, there's nothing inherently wrong with an entry-level bar. As I mentioned earlier, I picked up a non-branded cheap bar around 1998 that is very similar to the bar you're getting, and I've been using it weekly ever since without problems. When I checked it a couple of weeks ago it was still perfectly straight, and other than the finish being a little beat up, its condition isn't much different from the day I bought it. As long as you take care of it and don't drop it much, you should be fine.