want to buy an olympic weightlifting bar

[ahmed tanveer afrooz]

Hi,
I am new in this forum. I am from Bangladesh. Now the matter is that I have decided to buy an Olympic bar for my personal use. And so I choose IVANKO and PENDLAY bars, as both of this bar is in my budget 450USD. Now as I have no idea about these bars because I use ELEIKO in our national gym, I would like to request the forum members to give me some advice on which bar to choose. My budget is 450USD and I want to buy it from USA. Are there any other bars in this budget for Olympic style weightlifting?
Thanks
Ahmed Tanveer Afrooz

[josh everett]

I personally do not like Ivanko weightlifting products although their other products (powerlifting, DB's ect) are outstanding. The pendlay bar that is priced around 450 is a pretty good bar. In this price range i really like the chapman bar but I'm not sure who is making it/distributing it right now or where you can find them. None of these bars will perform or feel like the Elieko you are used to. If you can, save up and get an elieko or werksan training bar. If you can't wait that long then try to find a chapman... if that fails go for the Pendlay.

[ahmed tanveer afrooz]

thanks josh for replying my question. is there any web site that gives information on pendlay bar with price tag, as i got its name from my freind.
ahmed tanveer afrooz

[John Alston]

http://store.wfwclub.com/bars.html

[garrett stack]

Hi
long time reader first time posting.

http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/bars.php

There are pendlay bars an iron woody bar and a Zhangkong IWF certified bar for $525. Has anyone lifted on one of these. I have lifted on various Eleikos and own a pendlay weightlifting bar.
How does the Zhangkong compare and is that a good price ?

Garrett

[Greg Everett]

I agree with Josh - Save another $100 or so and get a Werksan or Eleiko. A company called Malgrem (sp?) is doing the Chapman bars now, although I don't know their contact info. The Pendlay elite bar feels good (relatively light knurling, similar to the Chapman) - be forewarned though that bumpers fit a little loose on it (I'm guessing to be more forgiving of cheap bumpers).

[Steve Ericson]

Here is the contact info for Malmgren (Chapman Bar)

#: (559) 553-2017
email: malmgren_heavyweights@yahoo.com

They also have a web site thats up and then back down all the time as they are still sorting out the bugs I geuss.

Greg, out of curiosity why is the Chapman bar better than the Pendlay Elite? & what is your overall favorite bar for Oly lifts?

Thanks, Steve

[Greg Everett]

I don't know that the Chapman is better, exactly - I'd say they're very similar in quality. The only significant difference is the fit of plates on the bars (i.e. Chapmans fit tighter).

I use a Werksan bar personally.