Alright, let’s talk about this Ritfit barbell I got a while back. My old bar, a cheapo thing I started with, was starting to feel a bit sketchy, especially when I started loading more weight. Felt like it might just fold one day. So, I started looking around.
Didn’t want to break the bank, you know? Just needed something solid for my garage workouts. Saw the Ritfit name pop up a few times, read some stuff, seemed decent enough for the price. Decided to give it a shot. Ordered it online, pretty straightforward.
The package arrived, and man, it was heavy. The delivery guy kinda dropped it with a thud. Dragged it into the garage. Getting it out of the tube was a bit of a workout itself. First impression? Looked like a barbell, haha. Shiny chrome, the knurling felt pretty grippy, maybe a bit sharp at first compared to my old smooth bar.
Getting Started with It
Cleaned off the packing grease, which took a bit of elbow grease. Then came the fun part: loading it up. Slid on some plates I already had. They went on smooth enough. The sleeves rotated okay, not like butter like those super expensive ones, but definitely better than my old fixed-sleeve bar.
My first few workouts involved the basics:
- Squats: Felt solid on my back. The knurling gripped okay, didn’t slide around. The bar had a little whip when I unracked heavier weight, but nothing crazy. Felt stable.
- Bench Press: Grip felt secure. The diameter felt pretty standard, comfortable enough in the hands. No issues there.
- Deadlifts: This is where that knurling really dug in. Good grip, didn’t feel like it was going to slip out of my hands, even without chalk initially.
Living With It
Been using it for several months now, maybe three or four times a week. It’s holding up. Dropped it a few times (onto mats, not bare concrete!), no bends, no major dings. The chrome is still mostly shiny, though I wipe it down after workouts to keep the sweat off. The sleeves still spin reasonably well for my needs. I’m not doing Olympic lifts requiring lightning-fast spin, mostly just powerlifting stuff.
The knurling has softened just a tiny bit, or maybe my hands just got used to it. It’s still plenty grippy for my lifts. Haven’t seen any rust yet, but my garage is relatively dry.
Overall thoughts? Yeah, it does the job. It’s a definite step up from the beginner bar I had. It feels safe, handles the weight I’m currently lifting (which isn’t world-record territory, mind you), and didn’t cost a fortune. For a home garage gym setup like mine, it works just fine. It’s not fancy, but it’s a solid piece of steel that lets me lift heavy things, and that’s what I needed it for.
