Rep Fitness Gladiator MX Bar

REP Fitness Gladiator MX Bar

The REP Fitness Gladiator MX Bar is a budget-friendly Olympic Weightlifting bar with one interesting feature: it has a 28.5mm shaft instead of the more traditional 28mm shaft on Oly bars.

With a very strong tensile strength, a reported yield strength, and 5 needle bearings, there are several things to really like about this bar… especially at a price under $300.

Here are some further details about the bar:

Knurling

The knurling on the REP Gladiator MX Bar is mild-to-moderate in feel, which is typical for a bar designed for high rep/high volume/HIIT style training. This knurl can be characterized as a hill (vs. a mountain or volcano), which gives it a nice texture that isn’t aggressive at all. This will keep your hands healthy during training and it will be comfortable in multiple positions. In this way, it will appeal mostly to those looking to use the bar in a variety of ways, more so than someone looking for a lift-specific bar.

The bar includes single Olympic Weightlifting rings, and it does not offer a center knurl. This will further make it more comfortable for some people in the front rack position, high-bar back position, etc…

Shaft

This bar offers a 28.5mm shaft, which puts it in a very unique class since most Oly bars offer a 28mm shaft. The Gladiator MX is more of a hybrid bar between a 28.5mm dual-ring multipurpose bar and a 28mm Olympic Weightlifting Bar. 

The bar has an impressive tensile strength of 230k PSI, which is well above the average in this class. Additionally, REP reports a yield strength of 200k PSI. Most companies, including REP on some of their other bars, don’t report a yield strength, and I wish they would. It’s a more practical measure. Tensile strength measures the point at which a bar will literally break, whereas yield strength measures the point at which a bar will experience permanent deformation (i.e. won’t go back to being straight).

All that said, the Gladiator MX is a very strong bar physically.

The hard chrome shaft will provide a good-not-great feel and you’ll get the same when it comes to resistance to oxidation.

Sleeves

One of the things I like most about my REP Fitness bars is that they offer smooth sleeves. This one does not. These sleeves are grooved, which some people like and some people don’t. I personally prefer a smooth sleeve since it’s much quieter than a grooved sleeve. The benefit of a grooved sleeve is it will keep the plates on the bar a little better than a smooth sleeve when you’re not using collars. 

The sleeves are coated in hard chrome and they utilize 5 needle bearings to spin the bar. This is another unique distinction on this bar, as most 28.5mm bars offer bushings or a mix of bushings and bearings. Needle bearings are more aligned with a true Olympic Weightlifting bar – you’ll get excellent spin on this bar. 

Aesthetics

Aesthetically, the Gladiator MX bar is a good-looking bar. Chrome is generally a nice-looking finish that has a cool polish to it. If you train in a humid environment, it’s recommended that you oil this bar on occasion with something like 3-in-1 oil to keep it looking good for a longer time.

I like the blue band on the collar with the matching blue end cap. The band is also helpful if you’re in a training environment with a lot of people/bars, as it helps easily identify the bar.

Features & Highlights

• Hard Chrome – Chrome is a cost-efficient plating that does a good-but-not-great job at fighting off oxidation. You won’t get the same feel as you would with a non-plated finish like bare steel, stainless steel, etc… but you get a nice blend of feel and rust resistance without the larger price tag.
• 28.5mm Shaft – The 28.5mm shaft brings a multi-purpose bar feel to an Olympic Weightlifting bar. This is useful for those who may want a less whippy bar, but with all the other qualities of a dedicated Oly bar.
• Grooved Sleeves – The grooved sleeves will tend to keep the plates on the bar better than a smooth sleeve when not using collars, but they will also be louder.
• 5 Needle Bearings – The Gladiator MX uses 5 needle bearings to spin the bar, which is going to offer a fast spin that you would expect with an Oly bar.

What They’re Saying at Repfitness.com

The REP Fitness Gladiator MX Bar receives very positive feedback from users. With an average rating of 5/5 at repfitness.com, here are some of the things people have said:

Positive

• “Excellent value. I have an Eleiko bar that cost four times as much and the quality and spin on the Rep bar is nearly equivalent. I also prefer the knurling on the Rep bar as it is not as aggressive as the Eleiko and is more comfortable to train with daily.”
• “Overall a great bar. Solid construction, quality knurling, great spin, everything you want in a bar.”
• “Great bar, I use it for a lot of Olympic lifting and it feels solid in my hands due to the width and knurling , great spin on the weight sleeves. This is the first piece of equipment I’ve bought from REP and I’m very pleased with the quality and will be buying more for my home gym!”
• “Very good quality. Has a good rotation and stands up well to a heavy CrossFit workout. My husband is very happy with this birthday gift!”
• “This bar is amazing. The spin is something a high end bar would have, the knurling is mild but it grips. For the money i cant think of a better bar. Buy it!”
• “The Gladiator MX Barbell is another good example of the quality coming from Rep Fitness. From the knurling to the smooth spin to the excellent finish, this product demonstrates attention to detail and function. Good job RF!”

Critical

• None noted

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has not yet reviewed this bar, but stay tuned!

Other Options

The below barbells were picked as alternatives to the REP Gladiator MX Bar.