




OVERVIEW
Raising the bar. These barbells were over 10 years in the making – the fusion of customer insights, rigorous testing, thousands of reps by different types of athletes, and our decades of experience in both lifting and designing quality, innovative gym equipment. That’s how we know these will be the best barbells you’ll ever put your hands on.
The 20kg Black Canyon Bar is a high-value, mixed-use barbell great for powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and cross-training/HIIT-style workouts. It comes in two robust finish options: a bright zinc shaft and sleeves, or a black chrome shaft with black chrome sleeves.
As a mixed-use bar, the Black Canyon also has dual knurl markings (International Weightlifting Federation and International Powerlifting Federation), so you can ensure proper and consistent hand placement for your lifts. The Black Canyon Bar has medium-depth, volcano-pattern knurling for good grip without tearing up your hands during high-rep workouts. Smooth sleeves allow for easy loading and unloading of the weight. The combo of high-performance, ball bearing sleeves with slower-rotating bushings provides smooth sleeve rotation for weightlifting, but it’s controlled enough for powerlifting-style exercises. This bar has no center knurl and medium whip, and it can handle up to 1,500lbs. Note: If you’re looking for a top-tier, mixed-use bar, check out the Colorado Bar.
PRODUCT DIMENSIONS

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Bar UseMixed-Use
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Weight20kg (44.1lbs)
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Length86.6"
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Loadable Sleeve Length16.3"
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Shaft Diameter28.5mm
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Sleeve Diameter50mm
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Bushing/BearingHybrid
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Sleeve StyleSmooth
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Knurl StyleVolcano/Medium
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Center KnurlNo
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Knurl MarkingsDual (IPF & IWF)
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MaterialSteel
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Shaft CoatingBright Zinc or Black Chrome
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Sleeve CoatingBright Zinc or Black Chrome
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WhipMedium
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Static Rating1,500lbs
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Tensile Strength190ksi
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Tolerance1%
PRODUCT FEATURES
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FINISH OPTIONS
The 20kg Black Canyon is finished with a bright zinc shaft and sleeves, or a black chrome shaft and sleeves. -
HYBRID SLEEVE CONSTRUCTION
The combo of high-performance ball bearings and slower-rotating bushings provides smooth sleeve rotating for weightlifting, but it’s controlled enough for powerlifting lifts. -
VOLCANO KNURLING
Medium-depth, volcano knurling provides good grip without tearing up your hands during high-rep workouts. -
DUAL KNURL MARKINGS
Dual knurl markings (IWF and IPF) help you determine even hand placement on the barbell. -
SMOOTH SLEEVES
Smooth sleeves allow for easy loading and unloading of plates. -
NO CENTER KNURL
This bar has no center knurl, which makes it comfortable for high-volume training.
MEDIA GALLERY
VIDEOS
- Black Canyon Bar Overview
Black Canyon Bar Overview
Introducing the Black Canyon Bar, REP’s newest mixed-use, high-value barbell. With dual knurl markings and medium-depth knurling, this bar can handle it all: weightlifting, powerlifting, and cross-training/HIIT-style workouts. The sleeves feature a hybrid of high-performance ball bearings with slower-rotating bushings – the perfect combo of a smooth rotation for weightlifting with plenty of control for powerlifting. Pick between multiple finishes, based on your preference, and get busy lifting.
STORIES
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Barbell Comparison Guide: How to Pick the Best Barbell
A barbell is a barbell, right? Not exactly.
read full story -
Choosing the Right Barbell: A Guide for Different Types of Lifts
What's the difference between a powerlifting, weightlifting, mixed-use, and specialty bar?
read full story -
What are the Different Barbell Finishes?
Finish strong! Here’s a closer look at the different barbell finishes, in order from the most basic to the highest end.
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More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Barbell Knurling
You’ve noticed different barbells feel different in your hands. So, what’s the deal?
read full story -
11 Rules of Barbell Etiquette
Treat your barbell right, and she'll love you back. You don't want to learn these rules the hard way.
read full story
FAQS
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How does this bar differ from bars you’ve sold in the past?
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.
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How does this bar compare to others on the market?
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.
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What coatings are offered for this bar?
The 20kg Black Canyon Bar is available in a bright zinc-coated shaft and sleeves, or in a black chrome-coated shaft and sleeves.
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What is the difference between a bright zinc finish and a black chrome finish?
For a bright zinc coating, the steel is dipped into a bath and coated, leaving a thin layer of zinc plating on the material. If you look closely, clear/bright zinc can look a little yellower than a chrome bar. The benefit: Zinc is tougher than regular chrome, so you get extra resistance to wear and corrosion. Then there’s black chrome, more of an industrial-grade finish. Black chrome provides good wear resistance and a ton of corrosion resistance. Black chrome looks nice and feels thin, too. It falls between bright chrome and hard chrome is slightly tougher than zinc. We chose it for a nice black finish that doesn’t tend to flake off like black zinc can. Both bright zinc and black chrome fall in the “medium barbell finish” category of barbell finishes. Read more about barbell finishes here.
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What is the difference between bushing and bearing sleeves?
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.
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Why were ball bearings used for this bar?
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.
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What does “knurl style” mean?
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.
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What is the purpose of knurl markings on a barbell?
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.
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Are your barbells compatible with other branded plates?
REP’s barbells are designed to work with any standard plates featuring 2” diameter center holes.
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How much weight can I load on this bar?
The 20kg Black Canyon Bar is rated for 1,500lbs.
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Which barbell is best suited for me?
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.
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How do I clean the protective oil on the barbell shaft?
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.
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How do I take care of my barbell?
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. If you have any issues beyond that, please reach out to our Colorado-based customer support team here.
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Does the 20kg Black Canyon Bar have a warranty?
Yes, it comes with a 5-year warranty.