Buying guide

Olympic weight plate guide

Lift Sets team

Editorial·Updated ·3 min read

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Every plate Lift Sets sells is an Olympic 2-inch (50 mm) plate. We do not sell 1-inch standard plates. The plates inside spinlock dumbbell and barbell sets belong to those kits and are not listed separately. If your bar has 50 mm sleeves, the three formats below all fit; if it does not, none of them will. Pair this page with the Olympic barbell guide before you order both.

Cast iron plates

Cast iron weight plates are machined with a 2-inch bore. They are the thin-profile option, which is why they put the most weight on a given length of sleeve. Pairs run 1.25kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg and 25kg, from £8.49 for a 1.25kg pair. Sets are listed at 15kg (£31.99), 45kg (£89.99), 60kg (£119.99), 75kg (£149.99), 100kg (£199.99) and 150kg (£299.99), with a cast iron pro set at £149.99. The 1.25kg plate is a slim black disc with the weight raised on the face.

Tri-grip plates

Tri-grip Olympic weight plates put a cast iron core inside a bonded rubber coating, with three moulded handles so a heavy plate can be carried with one hand. That is the practical reason to choose them in a home gym, where plates are loaded, unloaded and moved more often than they are lifted on a bar. Pair weights match the cast iron range, 1.25kg to 25kg, from £8.49. Sets are 15kg (£32.99), 45kg (£98.99), 60kg (£131.99), 75kg (£164.99), 100kg (£219.99) and 150kg (£329.99). A tri-grip pro set is listed at £32.99 as a graded set spanning 1.25kg to 20kg. The plates show three large handle cut-outs, a ribbed grip texture and a silver insert at the bore.

Bumper plates

Olympic bumper weight plates exist so the bar can be dropped. Crumb rubber over a steel insert absorbs the impact of a failed rep or a completed clean, which protects the floor, the barbell and the plates. The outer diameter is a uniform 450 mm across weights, so bar height stays consistent. Pair weights are 1.25kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg and 25kg, from £8.49. Sets are 30kg (£62.99), 60kg (£125.99), 80kg (£167.99), 100kg (£209.99), 130kg (£272.99) and 150kg (£314.99), with a bumper pro set at £209.99. The 1.25kg bumper is a thick black disc with a chrome steel insert.

Which format to choose

Format Floor safety Weight increments Space on the sleeve Who it is for
Cast iron Solid iron with a protective finish; not described as a dropping plate Pairs 1.25–25kg; sets 15, 45, 60, 75, 100, 150kg Thin profile, most weight per sleeve length Loading a barbell heavily on a limited sleeve length
Tri-grip Rubber coating over a cast iron core; three handles for carrying Pairs 1.25–25kg; sets 15, 45, 60, 75, 100, 150kg Cast iron core with a bonded rubber coating Home gyms that load and move plates often
Bumper Crumb rubber and steel insert, made to be dropped Pairs 1.25–25kg; sets 30, 60, 80, 100, 130, 150kg Uniform 450 mm diameter on every weight Olympic lifts, failed reps, and anyone who will drop the bar

Browse the full weight plates collection, then keep discs off the floor with weight plate storage. Horizontal racks let you slide a 25kg plate on rather than lift it over a post; the 3-tier weight tree stores Olympic plates in matched pairs with holders for a barbell and an EZ bar. Free standard delivery to Great Britain (Scottish Highlands and Islands included) applies on every order, including 150kg sets.

More questions

Is delivery free on heavy items such as a 150 kg plate set or a power rack?

Yes. Standard delivery is free to every address in Great Britain, including the Scottish Highlands and Islands, on every product whatever the weight, including 150 kg plate sets, 12-pair dumbbell sets and racks. Heavy orders are sent as more than one box and the boxes can arrive on different days, each with its own tracking.

Can I drop weights at home?

Only bumper plates are made to be dropped, and even then repeated dropping transmits force, so put rubber matting or interlocking tiles in the drop zone, especially on concrete or a suspended floor. Cast iron and tri-grip plates and hex dumbbells should not be dropped from height; chips and scuffs from dropping are not covered by the warranty.

What is the difference between cast iron, tri-grip and bumper plates?

All three are Olympic 2-inch (50 mm) plates. Cast iron is the thin-profile option that puts the most weight on a given sleeve length and is not for dropping; tri-grip has a cast iron core in a rubber coating with three handles for carrying, the practical home gym choice; bumpers are crumb rubber over a steel insert, a uniform 450 mm diameter, made to be dropped for Olympic lifts and floor deadlifts.

Which weight plates should I buy for a home gym?

Tri-grip if you value handling safety, train alone or move plates often between rack and bar: it is the all-round choice for a home gym not focused on Olympic lifting. Cast iron if you load a bar heavily inside a rack and want maximum weight per sleeve; bumpers if you drop the bar, train cleans and snatches, or deadlift from the floor without a rack.

Do you sell 1-inch standard weight plates?

No. Every plate Lift Sets sells is an Olympic 2-inch (50 mm) plate, and the plates inside the spinlock dumbbell and barbell kits belong to those kits and are not listed separately. If your bar has 50 mm sleeves all three formats fit; if it does not, none of them will.

Will plates from a spinlock dumbbell set fit an Olympic bar?

No. Spinlock kit plates have a 1-inch bore and Olympic bars have 50 mm sleeves, so they are not interchangeable in either direction. Buy Olympic 2-inch plates for the barbell and keep the kit plates on the kit.

What is the smallest weight jump I can make on a barbell?

2.5 kg on the bar with a 1.25 kg plate each side, which is the smallest plate Lift Sets sells in cast iron, tri-grip and bumper ranges. Fractional 0.5 to 2 kg plates would make 1 kg steps; tick only the sizes you own in the plate-loading calculator.