Moving or shipping gym equipment can be a difficult process due to the size and weight of the items. Will a barbell fit in your car?
A barbell should fit in most modern cars that can fold down the rear seats. If you have a small compact car, or if the seats do not fold down you may have an issue fitting the barbell in your car.
Below we will look at what it will take to fit an Olympic barbell in your vehicle.
Overview of the Barbell
Before we try to fit the Olympic barbell in our vehicle, let’s take a closer look at the size and shape of the barbell. Standard barbells are even shorter at 5 to 6 feet and can weigh between 15 to 25 lbs. An Olympic barbell is slightly larger at 7 feet long and weighs in at 45 lbs.
The sleeves on the end of the barbell are also slightly different. Regular barbells have 1-inch sleeves on the end while the sleeves on the end of the Olympic barbells have a 2-inch diameter.
Despite the size of the barbell, it should have no problem fitting in your car.
Can a Barbell Fit In Your Car?
The average car is over 14 feet in length. The standard barbell is only approximately ⅓ of that distance. As long as you have rear seats that will fold down, a standard barbell should have no problem fitting in your car. This will be the quickest and easiest way to transport your barbell.
If you have a compact car such as a smart car, or your car is equipped with rear seats that do not fold down, fitting a barbell will be a little more difficult.
If you do not have passengers or space in your trunk, you may be able to fold down the front passenger seat and have enough room to transport your barbell.
Can an Olympic Barbell Fit In Your Car?
We successfully got a regular barbell in your car, but what about a longer and heavier Olympic barbell? Again, if your rear seats do fold down and you have room in your trunk and passenger compartment, you will be able to slide it right in and go.
Positioning it at an angle that keeps it behind your front seats will be the best method to transport it.
If your seats do not fold down, or if you do not have room in your trunk, transporting an Olympic-size barbell will be more difficult. It may not fit in your passenger compartment depending on the size of the car.
What Cars Can Barbells Fit In?
Barbells can surprisingly fit in a large variety of vehicles. There are videos and pictures online of them in automobiles such as a Ford Focus, an Infiniti G35, and numerous other passenger vehicles.
There is also a discussion on Tacoma World and transporting one on their roof rack.
Prepping the Barbell
You can choose to prep the barbell for the trip, or just put it in your car as it is. If you plan on shipping it, it will need to be packaged before you can drop it off with the transport company.
There are a few options to protect your barbell when shipping or just transporting it.
- Original package
If you still have the original package from the purchase of the barbell that will be the best option to protect it when you transport or ship it. If you are missing the original packaging there are still plenty of options.
- Cardboard Tube
The next best option to the original packaging is a cardboard tube. You will need one at least 3 inches in diameter to fit over the collar of an Olympic barbell.
- Barbell Bag
If you are constantly transporting your barbell you may want to invest in a Rogue Fitness Barbell Bag. This bag is constructed of durable material to protect your barbell as you transport it, as well as a strap for easy lifting.
- Bamboo
One creative user online was able to slide his barbell into a long piece of bamboo when transporting and shipping it. As the saying goes, if it fits, it ships.
We recommend using a barbell bag like this one by GreyFit. Click here to check the price and availability on Amazon.
Measure the Barbell
You can always break out the tape measure and see how much room you have to fit the barbell. This will give you an idea of what it will take to fit it on your car and how much room you will need.
No tape measure? Find something that is the same length as the barbell. A broomstick, pole, or anything similar in length will help you figure out how to fit the barbell without having to struggle with the 45 lbs weight that comes with it.
Trial and Error
If you have any doubt if the standard barbell or Olympic barbell will fit in your vehicle, try it out.
Take the barbell to your car and get creative, as long as it is secure, doesn‘t hang out of your car, or interferes with the operation of the vehicle you will be safe to transport it.
Loading and Unloading
Due to their weight, you will need to take care when loading and unloading the barbell into your vehicle. Holding a 45 lbs weight in the center isn’t difficult but attempting to pick it up from one end could cause problems.
Slide it in and out of the car while maintaining control with both hands. Don’t attempt to pick it up at one end. Only lift the barbell in the middle.
Final Thoughts
Even with a 7-foot overall length, an Olympic barbell is much shorter than the average vehicle and should fit inside it without much difficulty.
The best way to transport a barbell in your vehicle is to fold down your rear seat and slide it in at an angle behind the front seats to secure it.
You can also obtain a barbell tube, or barbell bag if you need to transport it numerous times.