Pendlay Elite Bumpers

[Kevin M]

What are the thicknesses of the 55, 45, 35, and 25-lb Elite and training bumpers? Thanks.

[ChadKlump]

What are the thicknesses of the 55, 45, 35, and 25-lb Elite and training bumpers? Thanks.

I would like to know if these will be available in KG's soon?

[ChadKlump]

I would like to know if these will be available in KG's soon?

To The Top

[glennpendlay]

We expect to have Kilo versions available by the middle of April. They are worth the weight... highest quality bumper in the world, IMO.

glenn

[ChadKlump]

We expect to have Kilo versions available by the middle of April. They are worth the weight... highest quality bumper in the world, IMO.

glenn

Do you have plans on making a calibrated set?

[glennpendlay]

These are... they are well within the tolerances for IWF certified equipment.

glenn

[crackyflipside]

How do these compare to something like Eleiko training bumpers?

Also Glenn, would they be more durable for daily training than the other bumpers you offer?

[glennpendlay]

To be honest I think they are better than Eleikos, and I think that if you looked at them side by side with an Eleiko bumper, the tighter manufacturing tolerances of our plates would be very apparant. The printing also will not wear off like the printing on Eleikos does.

As far as durability, I think that our new version Econ plates and the Elite plates are both gonna last long enough to hand down to the kids. But yeah, the Elite will take more abuse. Its a superior design.

[crackyflipside]

Is the rubber on the Elites as rigid as the old Eleiko training discs?

I have a 15k training disc that feels more like plastic than rubber, it's not the black rubber type the training discs are now which absorb bounce and deaden noise significantly better, I guess the older style training plates were colored.

[crackyflipside]

I ordered a pair of 10k and 25k colored elite bumpers. Here they are among the other bumpers:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y22/crackyflipside/lifting/DSC_0001-6.jpg

They are very nice bumpers, I would rank them higher than the two Eleikos there and miles beyond my coaches ancient pair of Werksan bumper plates. The bumper feels more like a very smooth dense rubber than the Eleiko's which feel like hard textured plastic. There did seem to feel like there was some oil on the bumpers, maybe something used to clean the surface before shipping but most of it has come off in the past two days of training. The inner steel disc in the bumper has better tolerances (snugger fit) with the rubber part of the bumper compared to the Eleikos. My only complaint with build quality is one of the 10k bumpers the inner steel disc can spin without moving the bumper; guess I can get my allen wrench set and tighten the screws?

As for somebody debating spending more for these plates than the cheaper rubber bumpers with little metal insert, they are not in the same league. My coach has a ton of different economy bumper plates from the fat York bumpers and the newer Kraiburg bumpers. Every bumper like that seems to be a pain to load on the bar taking a ton of force to slide on and off the bar. These bumpers with the steel disc inside slide on and off so easy, I love it. However, if you catch the bar kinda lopsided like me, you want to grab yourself a pair of collars cause they will slide right off during a lift just as easy.

The bar I'm using is one of the old Pendlay Elite bars, still spins like a champ. I will use these weights A LOT as I train very frequently and teammates also lift here, too. So far so good. Pendlay, thanks for releasing an affordable bumper plate on-par (if not better in some aspects) than Eleiko bumpers.

[texaslifter]

Very nice Cracky!!!

[SMarcella]

Thanks for the review and photo comparison. We are getting close to get a small 1500sf place and I am pricing equipment now. I am looking forward to trying the NexGen Bar...I have 2 old Pendlay Elite bars, and like you said still spin great.

Are you still training at Art's?

[crackyflipside]

Are you still training at Art's?
I go there on Saturdays, rest of the week I lift at home.

[Jeremy Shepard]

My only complaint with build quality is one of the 10k bumpers the inner steel disc can spin without moving the bumper; guess I can get my allen wrench set and tighten the screws?

This has happened to both of my 25kg plates after a couple weeks of light use. What's the best way to tighten them without damaging the plates? The screws seem pretty damn tight, and I can't keep the inner disc from spinning to apply any more torque. I really don't want to resort to clamping the disc.

[ChadKlump]

Well if it is bolted togather take the bolts out and look inside. See what is in there and maybe it can be glued or fixed.

[Jeremy Shepard]

Here is a video where you can hear the insert moving around inside the bumper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwedQqtfhc0

Here is a video demonstrating another attempt (in vain) to tighten these plates by someone other than myself (in case I'm just that weak). Short of clamping these inserts and extending the wrench, these bolts aren't getting tighter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLLXtwouwac

Both my 25s and one 10 are now doing this.

[ChadKlump]

Just curious, but what is the issue with them spinning? BTW to tighten these you should use an impact. Its like taking a wheel off with the car jacked up and the brakes off.

[Jeremy Shepard]

Firstly, the issue is that these are brand new plates, and should not be compared with Eleiko or Werksan and the like if this is a common occurrence. The less bitchy reason is that I hope this is not a sign of things to come in the long term. They are not bad enough to where there is any noticeable negative effects during lifting. I still like these plates, I just want them to last a long time and want to get it fixed early on if the ones I received are not the norm.

I'll try to use an impact, but I really don't think that is the issue. I've had two people holding it down and putting some serious torque across the bolt and still nothing. If it requires that level of force to tighten further, it should not be moving like it is.

[GLoomisman]

Absolutely agreed! These plates should not be compared to Eleiko or Werksan. I upgraded my pendlay colored bumpers to the Pendlay Elite's and just recieved them from UPS today. An hour later, I worked out to "break them in", and noticed afterwards that my 25's and 15's had the same problem with a loose insert. I didn't plan on literally breaking them! If simply tightening the bolts is useless, then it must be an internal failure of some sort. These plates may look awesome and have stricter tolerance levels than other IWF certified plates, but if they can't perform and hold up as good as the others there is simply NO COMPARISON. Needless to say, I'm a little ticked off about forking out even more money for a product that should have been exponentially better than the previous and has so far, let me down.

[ChadKlump]

I'll try to use an impact, but I really don't think that is the issue. I've had two people holding it down and putting some serious torque across the bolt and still nothing. If it requires that level of force to tighten further, it should not be moving like it is.

I was just informing you that is the easiest way to tighten down. My guess is the bolts do not need to be tighter but whatever they are suppose to clamp inside the bumper has failed. I would take the bolts out and see what is inside.

Maybe it is something simple or maybe it is a complete failure. I dont know if this voids the warranty.

[GLoomisman]

@Jeremy Shepard..

How did the impact work?...could you find the problem inside?

[Jeremy Shepard]

As I suspected, the impact did not make a difference. The bolts are as tight as they're going to get. Upon disassembling, it doesn't look like a failure of any kind. It really just looks like imprecise machine work. Although, I'd like to disassemble a Werksan competition bumper to see what they look like on the inside.

Although it is a bit annoying for several reasons, I'm a bit more confident that it isn't a sign of further problems in the future, as long as everything else is solid on the bumper.

[mattv]

those pics don't work, can you maybe upload to facebook or www.imgur.com or something?

[Jeremy Shepard]

I suppose a moderator will have to approve them. The pics are nothing special, though. Just the hub disassembled and the inside of the bumper. I can e-mail them to anyone that really wants to see them.

[ChadKlump]

The mods must not want to approve them.

[mattv]

If you want to email them to me at mattology at gmail dot com , i can host them easily or whatever. I will have my engineering degree this may, maybe we can figure out an easy fix.

[mattv]

i have looked at the photos and I think it's a very simple fix. either the hat tolerances are off or the rubber compresses just a little bit over time and there isnt enough extra room to re snug them down before the bolts bottom out against the hat.

I would either mill down the surface of the hat (not raelly recommended, because it will be lighter than 25kg now by a few grams) or cut a nice extra gasket out of like a rubber innertube that will take up the slack by say 100 thousandths or so, and that will let the bolts snug down against the bumper easier.

[GLoomisman]

Hey MATTV, could you foward me those pics? Im at dgutier3 at gmail dot com. That would be much appreciated. Thanks

[spiderman]

Could someone put the pics up on Flickr?

[GLoomisman]

Here's what the inside of an elite bumper with the same problem looks like...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57964069@N04/5331076359/

[ChadKlump]

i have looked at the photos and I think it's a very simple fix. either the hat tolerances are off or the rubber compresses just a little bit over time and there isnt enough extra room to re snug them down before the bolts bottom out against the hat.

I would either mill down the surface of the hat (not raelly recommended, because it will be lighter than 25kg now by a few grams) or cut a nice extra gasket out of like a rubber innertube that will take up the slack by say 100 thousandths or so, and that will let the bolts snug down against the bumper easier.

This is something Pendlay should be responsible for making a fix for. Not for him to have to alter in order to fix.

[mattv]

Well i'm sure glenn didn't go out of his way to have them design shitty bumpers.


edit: i am a moron and was way off base


even seeing these photos, i'd still definitely buy a set no questions asked.

[spiderman]

I am guessing what happened here is that these bumpers are made in the same factory in china that Eleiko outsourced to. That's why they look super similar. I could be way off base here, but who knows. Anyways, maybe eleiko does some last minute adjustments to theirs back in sweden or wherever, when painting them.

Glenn wrote in September that Eleiko doesn't use the same factory...

http://board.crossfit.com/showpost.php?p=849193&postcount=14

The factory that approached rogue / again faster / pendlay ( they all seem to have this new pro style bumper at around the same time ) didn't know of the fact that these bumpers would need some last minute adjustments to keep it snug over time.

I'm guessing the Rogue Full Color Competition Bumpers and the Pendlay Elite Bumpers are the same with different graphics. Can anyone confirm that side-by-side in real life that they really seem to be the same?

[mattv]

i stand completely corrected, and am sorry for suggesting that they are the same then! thank you.

[Jeremy Shepard]

I'm guessing the Rogue Full Color Competition Bumpers and the Pendlay Elite Bumpers are the same with different graphics. Can anyone confirm that side-by-side in real life that they really seem to be the same?

I've got a friend that purchased some of the Rogue competition bumpers, and he said they shipped from South Carolina, as well. I'd be surprised if there are two factories in South Carolina that make identical-looking bumpers.

[glennpendlay]

Guys, I really do apologize for missing this thread till today. There have been a few bumpers with some tolerance issues, if you have these bumpers, please tell me and we will get it fixed. These things happen, I am sorry, just get with me via glennpendlay@muscledrivcerusa.com, and we will get it fixed.

[Jeremy Shepard]

Thanks for responding, Glenn. I sent you an e-mail back on 11/27, but never heard back. I'll send another your way, but I'm also going to try the rubber grommets. Easier than the headache of shipping everything back.

[glennpendlay]

Thank you Jeremy.

[crackyflipside]

What are the rubber grommets? I got the spinning issue with a 25k and 10k bumper and wouldn't mind doing a simple fix for them instead of shipping them out.

[ChadKlump]

I would just cut a piece of thin rubber into a circle. To fit into the part of the plate where the metal clamps it all togather.

[mattv]

I would just cut a piece of thin rubber into a circle. To fit into the part of the plate where the metal clamps it all togather.


yup, cut it out of a bicycle inner tube that you probably have laying around!

[ChadKlump]

Even cardboard would work, Like a cereal box or something. Just make extra and add them until it is fixed. a piece of metal would be ideal. If somebody really wants them made out of metal I could have them cut out of aluminum.

[mattv]

did anyone try the shim solution yet?

[mattv]

did anyone try the shim solution yet?



i'm getting ready to make my decision on ordering plates...

can anyone verify that they were easily fixed with this theory ?

[crackyflipside]

i'm getting ready to make my decision on ordering plates...

can anyone verify that they were easily fixed with this theory ?

To be honest the issue doesn't bother me at all and I lift every day. It's just like a cosmetic flaw.

[ADMIN]

We have a fix for the metal hubs spinning. About 1% of our plates are having issues and it only pertains to one product run. For our current inventory we are doing the fix in house with any plates prior to shipment. We have tested the solution and it does solve the problem. We definitely think cold weather has made the rubber contract just slightly to cause this, it only take a fraction of a millimeter to cause this problem. We did not see these issues in the summer. The current fix will not add any weight to the plate so you do not have to worry about that.

These plates are guaranteed. If you have this problem call us and we will swap the plates out for you. Its that simple. Our main number is 866-334-6674.

And these plates are to be compared to Eleiko's and Werksan's and I will tell you why, get a CALIBRATED (not the one in your bathroom) scale and weigh all the plates, I already know the results. We have done our homework.

Brad Hess

[Jeremy Shepard]

Mattv, I haven't gotten around to trying to rubber, yet. I've been quite busy with other things and this has slipped past my radar.

These plates are guaranteed. If you have this problem call us and we will swap the plates out for you. Its that simple.

Great! So, are you guys covering the shipping costs?

[ChadKlump]

Its good to see pendlay standing behind their products. They look like nice bumpers.

[Nicholai]

First of all, I must say MuscleDriver has had the best customer service I have ever experienced. I was having problems with my older bumpers and they took care of me immediately. Thank you so much to everyone that helped me, this is why I keep coming back to this place.

Secondly, the pendlay elite bumpers... wow! The quality of these bumpers is outstanding. I don't think the pictures do them justice. I will admit, I was skeptical at first after seeing some of these older threads, but to anyone on the fence about these things, these are the real deal.

[HunterHenzler]

So all the issues are completely worked out now? I'm getting ready to order a 90 kilo set (black w/ colored lettering) and the HD bar to get started with my own home set-up, just waiting to get the last bit of money together.

Looks like quality stuff!

[ADMIN]

The small percentage of plates that had their steel hubs spinning have been solved prior to shipping. We are seeing a very low percentage having this issue, less than 1%. We already checked all inventory of Elite Plates for this issue. If something does occur while being used we will take care of this problem by swapping plates out.

[PDM]

These are made in China, painted in the USA. They look a lot like a Rogue bumper that is advertised as being made in the USA. Does anyone know if the whole Rogue bumper is made the USA? Are there any good quality bumpers made completely in the USA? Thanks.

[texaslifter]

These are made in China, painted in the USA. They look a lot like a Rogue bumper that is advertised as being made in the USA. Does anyone know if the whole Rogue bumper is made the USA? Are there any good quality bumpers made completely in the USA? Thanks.

The only ones I know for sure are Mavrik bumpers. Made in California, I think Tim Chin runs it. Expensive, but very durable. Also, only come in black. I've had mine for 10 yrs, and they still look new. I've seen these training bumpers last upwards of 40 yrs if treated well.

[Seabass]

Someone at muscledriver told me that rogue gets their elite bumpers from pendlay/muscledriver, just with rogue printed on them. wouldn't surprise me as they look exactly the same.

[mattv]

under additional info here http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-full-color-competition-bumpers.php it says made in usa: NO

they are the same damn bumpers, they even ship from muscledriver according to people who have bought them

[PDM]

I e-mail Rogue and they stated the only bumper they carry that is made in the USA is the hi-temp. I take it the Pendlay Elite are the same as the other Rogue bumpers, same price too. Thanks for the input.

[ryanwells]

I'm looking to step up from my Hi-Temps. It seems the more research I do, the road keeps pointing back to the Pendlay Elite KG bumpers. Any more comments on these?

It seems, by the previous posts, that the QC issues have been sorted out. My only concern is long-term availability. Let's say that 3 years from now, I want to add a pair or two of say, the 20kg. Will these still be around. That's the one reason I keep reconsidering the Werksans: They appear to be pretty steadfast in maintaining their product line.

Thoughts?

[glennpendlay]

I'm looking to step up from my Hi-Temps. It seems the more research I do, the road keeps pointing back to the Pendlay Elite KG bumpers. Any more comments on these?

It seems, by the previous posts, that the QC issues have been sorted out. My only concern is long-term availability. Let's say that 3 years from now, I want to add a pair or two of say, the 20kg. Will these still be around. That's the one reason I keep reconsidering the Werksans: They appear to be pretty steadfast in maintaining their product line.

Thoughts?

Our bumpers are gonna be around a lot longer than 3 years... and, although I am of course biased I think our Elite series are simply the best bumpers in the world. Werksan makes good bumpers too, and are also likely to be around and selling for quite a while, but think about this, if you had bought Werksans just a few years back, you would have gotten a completely different plate, as they completely redesigned their plates a few years ago. I am thinking 3 years ago, might be off a little.

Fact is that EVERYONE periodically updates their products, makes improvements, redesigns things, etc. Pendlay Elite or Werksans are both good bumpers, but nobody is going to be able to guarantee that they will still be selling the exact same model years into the future.

[ryanwells]

Our bumpers are gonna be around a lot longer than 3 years... and, although I am of course biased I think our Elite series are simply the best bumpers in the world. Werksan makes good bumpers too, and are also likely to be around and selling for quite a while, but think about this, if you had bought Werksans just a few years back, you would have gotten a completely different plate, as they completely redesigned their plates a few years ago. I am thinking 3 years ago, might be off a little.

Fact is that EVERYONE periodically updates their products, makes improvements, redesigns things, etc. Pendlay Elite or Werksans are both good bumpers, but nobody is going to be able to guarantee that they will still be selling the exact same model years into the future.

That's good enough for me, Glenn. I trust the quality of your stuff and appreciate your customer service. In fact, I have one of your early men's 20kg bars that I have had since 2007 and still use it 3 times/week. I like the feel (knurl, etc) better than my more pricey Ivanko that I've had since 1997.

I plan on picking up a set of the Elite KG bumpers soon. Thanks for the quick reply.

[HunterHenzler]

Never posted about it- but I have the full colored bumpers and the Bearing bar.
Love the equipment. Haven't had any issues with the quality.
The onlky unusual thing is that on one of the yellow 15kg bumpers the white lettering has peeled/rubbed off. Not sure exactly- might've been something I did.
But having said that, it's not a problem, because it doesn't affect my lifting.

I also purchased a 10kg bearing bar a week or two ago because I loved the quality of equipment so much! :D

[Nicholai]

Never posted about it- but I have the full colored bumpers and the Bearing bar.
Love the equipment. Haven't had any issues with the quality.
The onlky unusual thing is that on one of the yellow 15kg bumpers the white lettering has peeled/rubbed off. Not sure exactly- might've been something I did.
But having said that, it's not a problem, because it doesn't affect my lifting.

I also purchased a 10kg bearing bar a week or two ago because I loved the quality of equipment so much! :D

That's funny because the lettering on my 15 kgs is gone too. Oh well.

[ADMIN]

We had a batch of yellow 15kg that we are aware that the plates are having ink coming off. It was an error on our part during the process of printing. Call and talk with Caleb about this, our number is 866-334-6674. If the ink is wearing slightly, that can be normal, if it is flaking off, that is a problem. Just try to scrap it with you finger, if the print flakes off, that ink will completely wear off over time.

Under normal circumstances, that ink should not come off, unless the side of the plate rubs against another surface. We have no problem swapping this out at no cost.