B&R Bar 2.0

Version 2.0 of the B&R Bar is built to the specifications of the bar’s original designers—strength training coaches Mike Burgener and Mark Rippetoe—with some enhancements from Rogue’s in-house manufacturing team. Along with custom-tailored dual knurl marks for Olympic lifting and powerlifting, the bar features a center knurl, a stronger 205,000 PSI shaft, and snap ring design. Quality bronze bushings produce a smooth, reliable spin, and the natural steel creates a great, old-school look and feel that few finishes can compete with. Engineered to be a versatile barbell, the Rogue B&R Bar 2.0 is ideal for core lifts—the squat, bench, and deadlift due to its 29MM shaft diameter, but can also be used for the Olympic lifts—clean and snatch, and everything in between.

Buying guide

Best Barbell for Your Home Gym — July 2026

What is a Barbell?

What a barbell is

The barbell is the center of a strength gym — the bar you squat, press, deadlift, and clean with. A men’s Olympic bar is 20 kg (44 lb) and 7.2 ft long (15 kg / 6.5 ft for women). The specs that matter: knurl (the grip texture — aggressive for pulls, milder for high-rep work), shaft diameter (28–29 mm for barbell lifts), sleeve rotation (bushings are fine for slow lifts; bearings spin fast for the Olympic lifts), tensile strength (~190k+ PSI resists bending), and coating (bare steel grips best but rusts; stainless and Cerakote trade grip for corrosion resistance).

Which one to buy

For general lifting, a multipurpose bar (28–28.5mm shaft, dual knurl marks, no center knurl) does squats, bench, deadlifts, and the occasional clean off one bar — this is the right first barbell for most home gyms. Choose a dedicated power bar (29mm, stiffer, aggressive center-knurl grip) only once you know you’re training squat/bench/deadlift specifically and want the stiffest, grippiest tool for that job. A dedicated Olympic weightlifting bar (needle bearings, more whip) is worth it only if you clean, snatch, or jerk regularly.

Beyond your main bar, specialty bars solve specific problems rather than replacing it: a safety squat bar shifts load off sore shoulders, a trap/hex bar takes stress off a cranky lower back on pulls, and a curl bar’s camber reduces wrist strain on isolation work. Add them once you know which problem you actually have.