Which Weight Brand

Adamcp898

Hi all, I'm thinking on buying a basic set of weights (barbell, dumbbells and x kg of plates). I've decided to stay away from vinyl even though the price is tempting but what I'm wondering is which of the generic brands is best to go for in terms of whose plates are easiest to come by for whenever I need to buy more weight? i.e. York, Maximuscle, Pro Power, Pro Fitness etc.

I assume some may have the same hole diameter anyway but for consistency's sake which brand would be best to stick to.

mdwexford

York probably the most common.

puntosporting

Just go with olympic size bar and weights you can chop and change brands as you wish they will all fit!

runawaybishop

Adamcp898 wrote: »

Hi all, I'm thinking on buying a basic set of weights (barbell, dumbbells and x kg of plates). I've decided to stay away from vinyl even though the price is tempting but what I'm wondering is which of the generic brands is best to go for in terms of whose plates are easiest to come by for whenever I need to buy more weight? i.e. York, Maximuscle, Pro Power, Pro Fitness etc.

I assume some may have the same hole diameter anyway but for consistency's sake which brand would be best to stick to.

Whatever brand Argos have on offer, or whatever brand you can buy a load of second hand. As long as they are 1 inch hole the brand doesn't really matter.

rubadub

Lots of my black york argos plates have started to rust, some pretty bad though salty water did get on those ones. My irish-lifting ones are still perfect, they have a much better paint job, the real thick stuff, think its called hammertone.

runawaybishop

I have some york and whatever other brand argos do, both in perfect nick. Clean then down and cost them with oil and they'll be grand.

traco

runawaybishop wrote: »

Whatever brand Argos have on offer, or whatever brand you can buy a load of second hand. As long as they are 1 inch hole the brand doesn't really matter.

I think Olympic bars are 2" collars?? Some of the cheaper plates / fractional plates can be tight fit. Seen this with York bars so not sure if its the York Olympic bar or the plates themselves.

runawaybishop

traco wrote: »

I think Olympic bars are 2" collars?? Some of the cheaper plates / fractional plates can be tight fit. Seen this with York bars so not sure if its the York Olympic bar or the plates themselves.

Olympic bars have defined diameters, i.e 50 mm/2 inch so the weights shuod always fit an bar. "Standard" bars aren't standard at all, the diameter varies from 25-28 mm/1-1.1 inch. Most weights will be holed for the larger diameter as thats common here in Europe.

traco

runawaybishop wrote: »

Olympic bars have defined diameters, i.e 50 mm/2 inch so the weights shuod always fit an bar. "Standard" bars aren't standard at all, the diameter varies from 25-28 mm/1-1.1 inch. Most weights will be holed for the larger diameter as thats common here in Europe.

I probably should have been clearer.

The York plastic filled weights that are cheap slip onto a 1" bar but if the OP is serious and want to get stuff to last them as someone suggested they should look at an olympic bar.

I just wanted them to know that the 1" plastic (vinyl) York stuff with the hollow 1" bar that you see in low cost sets will not fit an Olympic bar down the road if they stick with it and want to go heavy.

Basic Olympic bars available from several Irish sellers for €100 new, won't have the best bearings or steel but plenty good for deadlifting, benching, squating. The plates are what gets expensive, but as I siad I have seen variations in tighness particularly with some chinese plates 2kg, 1.5kg and 1kg in a gym. They fit but are really tight so have to go on dead square on the collar.

So bar diameter where you hold it will be approx 1" for all but the place where you put the weight will be either 1" for vinyl / plastic stuff or 2" in the case of Olympic bars.

runawaybishop

traco wrote: »

I probably should have been clearer.

The York plastic filled weights that are cheap slip onto a 1" bar but if the OP is serious and want to get stuff to last them as someone suggested they should look at an olympic bar.

I just wanted them to know that the 1" plastic (vinyl) York stuff with the hollow 1" bar that you see in low cost sets will not fit an Olympic bar down the road if they stick with it and want to go heavy.

Basic Olympic bars available from several Irish sellers for €100 new, won't have the best bearings or steel but plenty good for deadlifting, benching, squating. The plates are what gets expensive, but as I siad I have seen variations in tighness particularly with some chinese plates 2kg, 1.5kg and 1kg in a gym. They fit but are really tight so have to go on dead square on the collar.

So bar diameter where you hold it will be approx 1" for all but the place where you put the weight will be either 1" for vinyl / plastic stuff or 2" in the case of Olympic bars.

An Olympic set will set you back a fair whack and you don't often see them coming up second hand. If you know you'll use them and have the budget then they would be best alright.

Vinyl weights are not recommended (but the op knows this anyway) because you'll fill the bar too fast and they don't take any abuse, the metal ones are grand though. They are easily got second hand and not that expensive to begin with so a good idea to start off with, you'll have no problem selling them on if you want to upgrade to an Olympic set.

dor843088

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0dxDYSrxPw&feature=youtube_gdata_player


I have new olympic bars and plates coming in in about 3 weeks if anyone is interested pm me. Same plates you see pete rubish using here. Bars are the brass bush type no bearings.

dor843088

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0dxDYSrxPw&feature=youtube_gdata_player


I have new olympic bars and plates coming in in about 3 weeks if anyone is interested pm me. Same plates you see pete rubish using here. Bars are the brass bush type no bearings.