Black Canyon™ Bar - 20kg

Our new line of barbells is our first, in-house, engineered lineup. Every part of these bars was designed by our Colorado-based engineering team to meet our specifications and to perform better than any bar we’ve ever carried.

The 20kg Black Canyon™ bar is a high-value, mixed-use barbell for lifters looking for a versatile bar that’s tough enough to handle whatever you ask of it. This bar was designed by in-house, weightlifting engineers who live and breathe strength training, and they have accounted for every last detail – from precise knurling to a durable finish. The internal construction is completely engineered by REP and designed for serviceability. This isn’t just another barbell; we designed this to be a quality mixed-use barbell that you will use and love for years to come. Read more here.

The 20kg Black Canyon™ bar is available in a nickel-coated shaft and sleeves, or in a black chrome-coated shaft and sleeves.

A nickel finish on a barbell refers to a coating of nickel applied to the barbell's surface. This type of finish is primarily used to enhance the barbell's durability, resistance to corrosion, and aesthetic appeal. Nickel plating stands out for its exceptional wear and corrosion resistance, making it a top choice among barbell finishes. When compared with more common finishes like bright chrome, bright zinc, and black zinc, nickel plating offers superior protection against the elements, ensuring that your bar maintains its integrity even in a high-humidity environment. This makes it a great choice for home gyms and commercial settings where durability is key.

A nickel finish generally provides slightly less protection than black chrome. While nickel plating offers excellent wear and corrosion resistance, black chrome is considered a more premium finish with higher levels of protection, particularly against wear and corrosion. Nickel has a unique gold hue and is thin enough not to affect the feel of the knurling on a barbell. On the other hand, black chrome, which is more of an industrial-grade finish, has a dark, metallic appearance, often described as black or deep gray with a reflective sheen. It's also thin enough that it doesn't significantly disrupt the feel of the knurling on a barbell. Read more about barbell finishes here.

Both bushing and bearing sleeves produce sufficient sleeve rotation, but ball or needle bearings allow for a faster, smoother, quieter spin and have a more reliable turnover for maximum loads, which is a better fit for Olympic-style lifts. By comparison, a bushing sleeve is more efficient for powerlifting movements, which are slower and more strength focused. Read more here.

Ball bearing sleeves are great for mixed-use bars, because they provide a smooth rotation of the bar – which you want for Olympic weightlifting-style movements – but that spin isn’t as fast as needle bearing sleeves. This makes ball bearing sleeves comfortable for slower lifts, too, such as squats, deadlifts, and presses. The Black Canyon™ bar features a hybrid sleeve, with ball bearings and bushings. Bushing sleeves have more friction against the shaft and therefore a slower spin.

The knurling on a barbell is the crosshatch pattern on the shaft that increases the grip of your hands on the bar. There are three types of knurl styles that we utilize throughout our barbells: hill, volcano, and mountain. Hill-style knurling is the most passive and won’t dig into your hands for lifts. It is a good option for training bars, but if you’re looking to max out, we recommend a bar with another style. Mountain is the most aggressive knurl style. You’ll see this style with most of our powerlifting barbells to provide the best grip for your one-rep maxes. The most common knurl style you’ll see on a lot of our weightlifting and mixed-use bars is volcano. Volcano knurling has a good amount of grip without tearing up your hands. Learn more about knurling here.

There are two major standards for where to put knurl markings on a barbell: the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). The knurl markings allow athletes to set up properly for the lift and provide a visual for even hand placement on the barbell.

REP’s barbells are designed to work with any standard plates featuring 2” diameter center holes.

The 20kg Black Canyon™ bar is rated for 1,500lbs.

This depends on the type of training you do and your goals. If you are not sure how to decide on a barbell, reach out to our team of passionate lifters here and we will help match you and your training style with a barbell. You can also check out this blog that compares REP’s various straight barbells.

When your barbell arrives, there will be a light coating of oil on the shaft and sleeves. This is to protect the barbell from the elements during shipping. After a few uses, this light coating of oil will begin to dissipate. However, if desired, the best way to clean the barbell when it first arrives is to use a durable rag and a disinfecting wipe/cleaner that is free of harsh chemicals (such as bleach, ammonia, alcohol, or peroxide). For even more grip, we recommend using chalk.

This bar is designed to last many years without anything more than 3-in-1 oil added for lubrication. Remove dirt or chalk from the knurling with a brush and oil on a microfiber cloth. Read more here. If you have any issues beyond that, please reach out to our Colorado-based customer support team here.

Yes, it comes with a 5-year warranty.