Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell Review

If you have enough space to build a full home gym, a barbell is one of the best investments you can make due to its sheer versatility. The market is flooded with the best barbells, but one of our favorites, especially for CrossFit workouts, is the Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell. The self-lubricating bronze bushings in the loading sleeves provide a smooth spin for your explosive lifts, the 190,000 PSI tensile strength rating offers a solid amount of whip, and the bright zinc coating offers decent corrosion resistance.

One aspect you cannot ignore, though, is the knurling. While texture is preference-based, the volcano-style pattern here is very grippy, which also makes this a solid barbell for powerlifting workouts. This barbell is available in 15 and 20kg, so athletes of varying sizes can snag a bar that best suits them. If you’re looking for a barbell to use across all your lifts and don’t want to spend over $285, the Pursuit Olympic Barbell might be calling your name.

About Our Tester

Jake Herod is BarBend’s main product tester, and he’s conducted over 20 barbell reviews in both written and video formats. He put together this review using a combination of his past experiences as well as those of our other product testers. 

Main Takeaways

Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell Video Review

Our Reviews Writer, Jake, got his hands on the Pursuit Olympic Barbell in the BarBend Garage Gym. Check out his detailed video review, where he breaks down all of the specs of this bar and helps you decide if it’s a good fit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fna3FUxZGp8&t=1s

Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell Highlights

• Price: 15kg — $270 20kg — $285
• Weight Capacity: 1,500 pounds
• Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
• Coating: Bright Zinc
• Intended Use: Can be used across all lifts
• Size: 15kg — 79 inches long, 13-inch loading sleeves, 25mm diameter; 20kg — 86.6 inches long, 16.5-inch loading sleeves, 28mm diameter

From the coating to the tensile strength rating and the weight capacity, there’s a lot that goes into determining the caliber of a barbell, and the Pursuit Olympic Barbell certainly fits the description of a high-caliber bar. The 1,500-pound weight capacity is enough to meet the needs of the strongest athletes, and the 190,000 PSI tensile strength rating means it can withstand a beating. Plus, this rating also leads to a high whip, which comes in handy when performing explosive lifts, as it equates to a higher bounce mid-lift. 

Speaking of lifts, this multi-purpose barbell performed well in every lift we attempted with it. We love it for CrossFit athletes, especially since the self-lubricating bronze bushings spin at a controlled rate. But the grip we’re able to achieve from the volcano-style knurling also makes it perfect for powerlifting. It’s also available in both 15kg and 20kg sizes, meaning more athletes have the chance to add it to their existing gear stash. We also can’t ignore the sub-$300 price tag of this bar. While it’s not uncommon to find a barbell in this price range, not all of them perform as well as this one does. So, if you’re looking for an affordable barbell that can do it all, you might want to keep this one on your shortlist. 

Pros

• The self-lubricating bronze bushings eliminate the need to lubricate them over time manually.
• The versatile nature of this barbell means it can serve as the only bar in your home gym.
• The Pursuit Olympic Bar is a solid option for all athletes since it’s available in 15kg and 20kg sizes and at a lower price than much of the competition — especially those shopping on a budget.

Cons

• While you can perform any lift with this barbell, it won’t be the best at any particular lift. So, if you’re dedicated to any one style of lifting, you’ll be better off with a specialty bar.
• The bright zinc coating offers a respectable amount of protection against rust and corrosion, but those who have their gym in a non-climate-controlled room will want to look at cerakote or stainless steel.
• When dropped, the Pursuit Olympic Barbell is one of the louder bars we’ve used lately. So, if you have neighbors nearby, you might want to target a quieter one.

Training With the Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell

We put the Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Bar through the wringer and have been very pleased with its performance. The knurling provides a solid grip at all times, there is plenty of whip for hardcore CrossFit and Olympic lifting athletes, and the loading sleeves offer a smooth rotation.

Knurling

The cross-hatching pattern on a barbell is referred to as “knurling,” and it plays a crucial role in its overall performance. Multi-purpose barbells typically have a pretty moderate knurling, as opposed to an aggressive one that you’ll find on a power bar, since they’re designed to be used across all lifts. 

The Pursuit Olympic Barbell comes equipped with a volcano-style pattern, meaning each individual marking dips in like a volcano. This provides your hands with four points of contact with each marking and is widely regarded as the best pattern available. 

We’ve also been impressed with how grippy it is, considering the zinc coating. Coated barbells are notorious for being slightly slippery compared to bare steel or stainless steel barbells, but that’s certainly not the case here. So, while we ranked this our top barbell for CrossFit, our tester, Jake, also loves using this bar for his powerlifts — especially benching and deadlifting. 

Loading Sleeves

The loading sleeves of barbells vary across the market. Some feature composite bushings, some feature bearings, and while similar barbells feature bronze bushings, the Pursuit Olympic Bar is equipped with self-lubricating bronze bushings. Bronze bushings are commonly found in power bars and multi-purpose bars since they’re meant for slow and controlled power lifts. They’re also cheaper than bearings and will last longer. While the spin rate on this bar is respectable, they don’t spin as fast as a bar with bearings. And though you can easily hit all your lifts with this bar, those who only perform Olympic lifts might be better off with a dedicated Olympic bar. 

Self-lubricating bronze bushings are exactly as they sound. Since they self-lubricate, it eliminates the need to remove the loading sleeves over time to lubricate them manually. In fact, the lack of snap rings on the end of the sleeves means you don’t even have the option to do so. 

Another thing we noticed with this barbell is there is a bit of “play” with the loading sleeves. By this, we mean you can move the sleeves back and forth, which is pretty uncommon. We haven’t noticed it negatively impacts our lifts, but it’s noteworthy. 

Another thing here is that this barbell is pretty loud when dropped, and we think the sleeves are directly causing the extra noise. Jake actually conducted a drop test comparison with another barbell in his video review, and you can easily hear a difference between the two. We don’t think this should necessarily deter you from purchasing this barbell, but you might find yourself being “that neighbor” if there are other homes in close proximity.

Whip

The whip of a barbell also plays a factor in your lifts. Whip is the amount of flexion and bounce felt in a bar. While you don’t want a lot of whip in a power bar, having its presence felt with Olympic and multi-purpose bars is essential since it’ll increase your success rate when performing explosive movements. With a tensile strength rating of 190,000 PSI, the Pursuit Olympic Bar has a solid amount of whip. 

Tensile strength refers to the stiffness of a barbell, and the higher the number (230,000 PSI is typically the max), the less whip you’ll notice. So, while you’ll likely find most power bars to have a rating of 200,000 to 210,000 PSI, 190,000 PSI is typically the number found on an Olympic bar. This will be extremely useful during any explosive lift, like a clean & jerk, as it will help you create momentum during your lifts. 

While we certainly felt the whip benefit us during our explosive lifts, we haven’t felt as if it negatively impacted our power lifts since the whip isn’t out of control. In other words, this is a classic case of the best of both worlds. 

What to Consider Before Buying the Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell

Whether it be a new weight bench, a new treadmill, or, in this case, a barbell, we always recommend considering the major factors before purchasing new gear for your home gym. This is bound to vary from person to person, but in this case, we suggest focusing on the money, the finish, your style of workout, and the tensile strength.

Price

Money is often the biggest limiting factor when buying new fitness equipment. However, the Pursuit Olympic Bar is cheaper than much of the competition. While you could spend over $400 on the Rogue Ohio Bar, you won’t spend more than $270 on the 15kg version or $285 on the 20kg version. That extra money can help create a little more room in your budget for some new gear, like an adjustable dumbbell system.

Finish

A barbell’s finish, or coating, is also an important factor. The bright zinc finish on this bar will offer a decent amount of protection from rust and corrosion, but if your gear is in a garage or room without climate control, you might want to target a cerakote or stainless steel bar. However, since they offer a higher level of protection, you’ll have to shell out some extra cash. 

This is where learning to clean and care for your barbell comes into play. If you don’t want to spend that extra money, you can just take a few minutes a couple of times a month to take preventative measures to extend the life of your barbell.

Workout Style

The beauty of an all-around bar like this is that it’s useful in every lift you can imagine. That said, it won’t be the best at any one lift. So, if you’re a dedicated lifter on either end of the spectrum, you should probably just invest in a bar designed explicitly for your lifting style.

Tensile Strength

While this barbell’s 190,000 PSI tensile strength rating is respectable and creates a solid amount of whip, it might only be ideal for some athletes.

If you’re a hardcore powerlifter, you’ll want to target a barbell with a higher rating, like the Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0. While you might not think its rating of 210,000 PSI makes a big difference, we can tell when it comes to squatting heavy weight, as there is more rigidity within the shaft. 

Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell Vs. The Competition

In addition to focusing on some important factors, we always suggest comparing any product to similar competition on the market, and that’s no different with a barbell. So, for this instance, we decided to pin the Pursuit Olympic Barbell against some of our other favorite all-around barbells.

	Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell	REP Fitness Colorado Bar	Living.Fit Barbell	Iron Bull Competition Bar
Price	$270 for 15kg, $285 for 20kg	$320 for chrome, $330 for cerakote	$200 for chrome, $220 for cerakote	$200 or $250 for 15kg, $200 to $300 for 20kg (price depends on coating)
Tensile Strength	190,000 PSI	190,000 PSI	200,000 PSI	200,000 PSI
Weight Capacity	1,500 pounds	1,500 pounds	1,500 pounds	1,500 pounds
Loading Sleeve Construction	Self-lubricating bronze bushings	Composite bushings	Brass bushings	Needle Bearings
Type of Barbell	Multi-purpose	Multi-purpose	Multi-purpose	Multi-purpose

As you can see, there are some noticeable differences between these barbells. The most expensive bar on this list is the REP Fitness Colorado Bar and a large reason for that is the composite bushings. They’re quieter than any of the other options (especially when dropped), and they’ll likely outlive the others. However, not everyone wants to spend that much on a barbell. 

If you’re looking for the best value, you’ll want to narrow your options to the Living.Fit Barbell and the Iron Bull Competition Bar. Both go as low as $200, but the Iron Bull bar features needle bearings and offers a higher spin rate than the others on this chart. That said, the knurling is pretty passive, so you might sometimes find your grip compromised. 

But don’t let any of that distract you from the Again Faster Pursuit Olympic Barbell. The price tag falls right in the middle of all these; the self-lubricating bronze bushings eliminate an extra step regarding upkeep, and the knurling on this bar is grippier than the rest. So, you can easily make the case that it’s the best bar on this chart. 

At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with any of these bars, but we wanted to highlight them all since there might be a specific reason to choose one over the others. Just do your research and be sure to align your goals with your budget.

Places to Buy

You can purchase the Pursuit Olympic Barbell directly through the Again / Faster website. 

Warranties

Again Faster offers a limited lifetime warranty on this barbell covering manufacturing defects, but not negligent use — such as using damaged plates. 

Company Information

Since 2006, Again Faster has specialized in offering quality fitness equipment at lower prices than some competitors. To learn more about their operations or to speak to a team member, you can call them at 877-736-8775 or via email service@againfaster.com.

In Conclusion

The Again Faster Olympic Barbell is one of our favorite multi-purpose bars on the market and ranks as our top CrossFit bar. The self-lubricating bronze bushings offer a smooth spin rate for hang cleans but are controlled enough to use this bar for your powerlifts. The knurling is possibly the grippiest out of any multi-use bars we’ve recently tested, and the bright zinc finish holds its own regarding rust and corrosion resistance. Once you factor in the approachable price tag, we think this barbell could easily serve as your only barbell in your home gym.

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