Does anyone own or ever used a Cap Barbell brand olympic set? I just bought one from Academy Sports the other day, but I can’t find anything that lists the max weight the bar can handle.
The clerks at Academy didn’t have a clue. There was nothing in the box that listed it. I’ve tried calling Cap Barbell and that didn’t get me anywhere either.
At $118, I’m pretty sure it’s not rated over 500 lbs. but I’m just trying to find out if anyone has ever tried loading more than 300 lbs on one and, if so, did it permanently bend the bar??
I bought the same weight set to start my home gym. When I started putting close to 300lbs on the bar there was a noticealbe bow in the bar. It was enough to make me buy another bar that was rated high enough that I didn’t have to wonder if it was going to break. I don’t think those bars are meant to hold much more than the weight they come with. I also tried doing a search but could not find any documentation on their limit.
I squated up to 450 pounds on my bar (sounds like the same set - I got mine at Dick’s Sporting Goods a few years ago). It did not permanently bend the bar, but you should have seen the look of fear in my wife’s eyes! She says it really bent a lot under the load. I have read from Ivanko about bars breaking. Since then, my wife grounded me from doing more than about 300 until I get a better bar. You may need a stronger bar eventually, but that set is such a cheap way to get started collectiing weight!
Don’t take me wrong - lift at your own risk! I think Bpeck is right about not trusting them with more weight than the 300# that came with it. I over loaded it in ignorance, but I would now feel much safer with a higher rated bar. I have also contacted CAP etc., and only get the run around. I wish they would just shoot straight about the rating.
You may need a stronger bar eventually, but that set is such a cheap way to get started collectiing weight! [/quote]
Yeah. I couldn’t believe the price. A pair each of 45s, 35s, and 25s cost almost as much as I paid for the whole set.
None of my lifts are over 300 yet, but I was just curious because I bought this set to replace my old 1" set. That bar was maxed out at 200 and it was bending with anything more than 230 on it.
Like you said, though it was a cheap way to get a bunch of weight. When the time comes that I need to move up, I’ve got my eye on a bar rated at 700 for about $120.
I bought this exact same set to get me by for the summer when I was working out at home, and it is garbage. I was cleaning one day and let the bar drop from mid chest height at the end of set; the result was a seriously bent sleeve. Also if you unscrew the sleeve you’ll find some plastic crap in there instead of ball bearings. But i tink overall it was a decent deal just b/c the plates themself were pretty cheap.
I don’t think it’s tested for much, my brother and I put 500 on it one day to walk with it on our backs and it was bending like crazy…
You may need a stronger bar eventually, but that set is such a cheap way to get started collectiing weight!
Yeah. I couldn’t believe the price. A pair each of 45s, 35s, and 25s cost almost as much as I paid for the whole set.
None of my lifts are over 300 yet, but I was just curious because I bought this set to replace my old 1" set. That bar was maxed out at 200 and it was bending with anything more than 230 on it.
Like you said, though it was a cheap way to get a bunch of weight. When the time comes that I need to move up, I’ve got my eye on a bar rated at 700 for about $120.
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Be careful believing what some websites say. The bar I bought to replace the Cap Barbell was around that price and rated at 700lbs. When it came the invoice said 500lbs. I still thought it was a decent price considering it will take me a while to get to 500lbs on any lift. I figure when I do get there I will be too happy to feel bad about having to buy another bar.