NUCCLR weight plates

Why choose NUCCLR weight plates?

What sets this brand apart in this category is how the range is put together. Six of the eight items are ready made sets with the olympic barbell already included. You are not ordering separate components that you have to assemble into a working setup yourself, but a package that is complete the moment the box arrives. That matters most on a first purchase: no calculating pairs and weight steps, and no second order because the bar or the collars turned out to be missing.

The second deliberate choice is the limited material offer. There is rubber and there is PU, and nothing else. Rubber is the cheaper of the two and absorbs the impact when a plate lands on the floor. PU offers the same protection, but has a harder, more scratch resistant outer layer and a tighter finish, which keeps a set looking presentable after years of use. If you want to feel that difference in your hands before you decide, you can try both versions in our showroom in Volkel.

Everything is supplied new, so you know exactly what you are getting in terms of condition and weight. Most items ordered before 17:00 arrive the next day, which helps if you want to build your setup over a free weekend. Also take a look at the other fitness equipment from NUCCLR.

The NUCCLR weight plate range

Eight items in total: two single plates and six complete sets. These are the building blocks you choose from.

• Rubber weight plate, 1.25 to 25 kg: a single plate with a rubber coating in the 50 mm olympic size. The rubber protects your floor and the plate itself when you set it down, and it is the cheapest way to expand an existing collection.
• PU weight plate, 1.25 to 25 kg: the same weight range and the same bore, but with a polyurethane coating. It is clearly more scratch resistant and more neatly finished, which shows on plates that get slid around every day.
• Rubber olympic barbell set, 90, 120 or 160 kg: three total weights, each including an olympic barbell. This ladder is the core of the range and decides how far you get before you need to buy extra.
• PU olympic barbell set, 90 or 120 kg: the same set up including the bar, but with PU plates. In the PU line the ladder stops at 120 kg.
• Olympic curl bar set, 41 kg: complete with a curved curl bar instead of a straight one. A lighter entry point for anyone focused on arm and upper body work.
• One size only, 50 mm olympic: every plate and bar in this line has a 50 mm bore. There is no 30 mm material at all, so this is your first and most important buying filter.

Which NUCCLR weight plates suit you?

Your choice mainly depends on what you already own and how heavy you intend to lift a year from now.

You are starting from scratch with no bar: take the 90 kg rubber set. Bar, plates and collars arrive together, and for most beginners 90 kg total covers well over a year of progress.

You have been training for a while and squat or press seriously: go for the 120 or 160 kg set. Base it on your heaviest lift: once you squat above 100 kg a 90 kg set empties quickly, especially if you also want to keep using your power rack or dip station without swapping plates between exercises.

You want it to still look good years from now: choose a PU set of 90 or 120 kg. PU scratches less easily and keeps the weight markings readable, which matters if the set lives in a living room or a practice space.

You mainly train arms, shoulders and chest: the 41 kg curl bar set is the logical entry point. The curved bar sits more comfortably during curls and french presses, and 41 kg is a realistic starting load for upper body work.

You already own a 50 mm bar and only want to add weight: buy single plates rather than a set. Every set includes a bar, so otherwise you pay for something you already have. If you are unsure which size your own bar is, compare it against the range of barbell bars first.

You train upstairs or on a wooden floor: choose rubber and put something underneath. The rubber coating takes the first hit, but a layer of mats underneath limits noise and vibration for the rest of the house.

What to look for when buying NUCCLR weight plates

Check which bar you already have

Everything in this line has a 50 mm bore, the olympic size. If you have a standard 30 mm barbell at home, nothing here will fit it, and going from 30 mm to 50 mm is not a matter of an adapter but of a different bar. If you are not sure, measure the sleeve of your bar before ordering. Choose a complete set and the question disappears, because the matching bar is included.

Rubber or PU

Both materials protect your floor and your plates, so this is not about safety but about finish and price. Rubber costs less and does its job perfectly well in a garage or a dedicated training room. PU has a harder coating that is less easily damaged by sliding along a rack or across concrete, and it still looks tidy after years. If your equipment is on show or you change plates often, PU pays for itself in appearance.

Pick the total weight you will need in a year

The set ladder runs from 90 through 120 to 160 kg, and those steps are deliberately generous. The stated total includes the bar, so at 90 kg you have less in plates than the number suggests. Look at your heaviest lift twelve months from now rather than today. You can always add single plates later, but going one size up once is usually cheaper than ordering extra twice.

Check what is included

The barbell sets and the curl bar set are complete: plates, bar and collars. The single plates are exactly that, single plates, so you supply the bar yourself. That difference often decides which option is the smarter buy. If you only want to load up an existing setup, buy single plates rather than a second bar.

The floor the plates land on

Rubber and PU absorb the impact, but they will not turn a thin wooden floor into a suitable base for 160 kg. Think about where you put the bar down and where the plates sit between sets. A fixed storage spot also stops plates from sliding into each other or into the wall, and that is what storage systems are for.

Our advice: start with your bar, not with the weight. If you own nothing yet, take a complete set and pick one size above what you currently lift, because the bar is included anyway and that makes the step to 120 kg smaller than it looks. If you already have a 50 mm setup, buy single plates and choose PU when your equipment is in plain sight.

Who are NUCCLR weight plates suitable for?

• The beginner with no equipment: you want to start free weight training at home and have no bar yet. A complete 90 kg set removes all the guesswork.
• The home lifter who is outgrowing their kit: you have trained for a few years and your current weight has run out. The 120 and 160 kg sets give you room to load compound lifts properly.
• The upper body trainer: curls, presses and rows rarely call for 160 kg. The 41 kg curl bar set is built exactly for that use.
• Anyone expanding an existing 50 mm setup: you have the olympic bar and simply want more kilos. Single plates from 1.25 to 25 kg fill in your existing weight steps neatly.
• The user with a visible training corner: your equipment is not in a garage but in the house or in a practice. PU holds its looks longer than rubber.
• Anyone who wants to start right away: most items ordered before 17:00 arrive the next day, so you are not waiting weeks for your setup.

Less suitable if you have a standard 30 mm barbell that you want to keep using, because no plate in this line will fit it. The same goes for dropping weight from overhead, as you do in olympic lifting: these plates are not made to be dropped, so proper bumper plates are the better answer there. Calibrated plates for competition preparation and fractional plates below 1.25 kg are not part of this range either, so for fine weight increments or a tight weight tolerance you should look further in the wider category.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy NUCCLR weight plates but are you not quite sure which size, material or weight range suits you? We are happy to help. You can reach our fitness specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an email or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about NUCCLR weight plates

Will these plates fit my barbell?

Only if your bar is the 50 mm olympic size. Every plate in this line has a 50 mm bore and there is no 30 mm version. A 50 mm plate does not fit a standard 30 mm bar, and it does not work the other way around either. If in doubt, measure the sleeve of your bar, or choose a complete set that already includes the matching bar.

What is the difference between the rubber and the PU plates?

The weight range is identical, 1.25 to 25 kg, and both protect your floor. The difference is in the coating: rubber is the cheaper option and absorbs impact well, while PU is harder, more scratch resistant and more neatly finished. In practice you notice that mostly over time, when plates get slid across a floor or along a rack. If your set is on display, PU is worth considering; in a garage, rubber does the job just fine.

Is a barbell included with the sets?

Yes. The olympic barbell sets of 90, 120 and 160 kg come with an olympic bar, and the 41 kg curl bar set comes with a curved curl bar. Both also include the collars, so you can train straight out of the box. Keep in mind that the stated total weight includes the bar when you compare the sizes.

Which total weight do I need?

Look at your heaviest lift, usually the squat or the deadlift, and project it a year ahead. For a beginner 90 kg is usually more than enough, while someone already squatting above 100 kg quickly ends up at 120 or 160 kg. Remember that the figure includes the bar, so you have less in actual plates. If you are torn between two sizes, the larger set is often cheaper than topping up later.

Can I drop these plates like bumper plates?

No, they are not built for that. The rubber or PU coating protects the plate and your floor when you set the bar down normally or lower it under control, but not when you drop it from overhead. If you do olympic lifts and release the bar from shoulder or overhead height, you need genuine bumper plates. For squats, bench press, rows and deadlifts from the floor these plates are perfectly suitable.