Just remember that being clever, fast on a bike and coming out with a 2:1 or above wont get you a Job, what will is getting relevant work experience while you are there and making contacts. That is far more important than what the piece of paper says, truth is 90% of employers would never check that you actually went to a specific Uni or what grade you come out with, that can easily be bulshitted away, experience cant and that will get you places.

Think of Uni more as a fun three years that will open doors over that time but make use of them 3 years to open the doors otherwise the ones that did will leave you trailing, especially in today’s jobs market and with the cost of going to Uni.

Grades don’t easily get you jobs, contacts on the other hand do!

Loughbrough for example may not be the best idea as competition for contacts in industry will be so much more fiersome.

Just something for you to think about also.

Having worked with L’Boro and Bath SU’s i can say that l’boro birds are generally hotter but more pretentious than Baths, and bath would be a nicer place to live than l’boro IMO.

As mentioned above, for the biking/outdoor life Bangor in North Wales!

Loved my time there and the old quarry railroad is a cycle path from close to the town centre right out into the hills. 😀

Fair play mr Bland, you make some very good points.
Lol, I currently have no interest in birds, but after getting beaten at the weekend by two senior lads who both have ladyfriends, I think I better get hunting.

Current final year sports science student at Bath here, so I may be able to help. The course here is noticably more science based than at Lbro for example. Both have equally good reputations in my experience.

As mentioned above- do not underestimate the value of placement! I spent last year in the MTB heaven that is Vancouver, and I am now reasonably well connected with the sports science scene over there- essential contacts to have! Still haven’t got a job mind (any offers welcome!!)

Riding in Bath is not bad at all- I’m not a member of the cycling club, but they are very active and hae ridden with some of the guys and they are by no means shabby in a racing sense, super regualer road and XC rides (twice a week). Any other questions feel free to email me 🙂

Keele

I would say Bath, admittedly not because I know the riding well or that its a lovely city (Which it is) but mostly because its right next to Bristol which as an awesome place. Trails there are pretty much responsible for getting me hooked on riding.

I’m totally biased though as i went to university there… and have never been to any of the other choices.
Dave

Loughborough was a good place to live and the uni was great (97-00) from what I remember. Climbed when I was there but have been back to visit people as a biker.

Although there is not much there it’s close to a lot of places for a weekend. Peak, N Wales, S Wales if the motorways are clear.

In the end of the day go for the best education/course you can get and the social side will look after itself. Uni sport means lots of people in one place trying to do the same thing so transport gets easier.

Is the Climbers Vs Bikers Piss Upserious competitive event still running? I think I still have the video of year 1.

Come to loughborough. I was the student XC captain there last year (i’m not there this year but will be returning for the 2013-14 year). Rather looking forward to it!

For sports science and sports facilities, you’re not going to find anywhere better. If (when 😉 ) you get in- come!

I’ll start with the important stuff…

Night life = pretty good! The union has 3 clubs in, town has plenty, we’ve always got music artists performing dirt cheap (although we had “sam and whe whomp” last week… we dont talk about that).
Cheap drinks. Who dosnt want to spend their sunday night downing Jaegerbombs for £1?
Campus = gooood.
Girls… well, there arent quite as many as at other uni’s (although still plenty!), but 90% are sporty and in pretty good shape 😉

Well thats the whole prospectus covered. Now here’s a ton of infor about the cycling club.
The cycling club is basically what has made uni at loughborough for me… awesome bunch of people, awesome characters, awesome socials, and people riding everyday.

Local XC riding is ok, a few hills to train on, and some nice techy (as far as natural riding in the midlands goes) riding in places. Big local dirt jumps where the DH/DJ crowd live.
Cannock chase is an hour way for awesome XC. Sherwood pines too. Few spots towards sheffield as you said, but these are more DH oriented.
Some of us enter the midlands races (FNSS etc). Good fun, and cheap!

Road is fine, fairly flat on most routes but the peak district isnt too far away and we do day rides over there occasionally. And a cupcake shop conveniently en route for the social rides 😉 Just got a GB junior girl in the club this year!

Rides cater for everyone- social ride that everyone enjoys for a bit of club banter. Faster rides once you get to know who you can keep up with/keep up with you 😀

Few trips throughout the year, wales (only 2-3 hours away), lake district etc for road and XC. Then there’s BUCS (the inter-uni competitions). Oh BUCS! Most fun racing i’ve ever done! An awesome way to get into a new discipline if you havnt tried it as well- i’m now looking for a DH bike after competing DH last year on my trail bike 😀 It includes XC, DH, Road, TT, CX, Track, and for the past few years we’ve hosted a crit on campus.
We go over to the manchester velodrome to get accredited on the track side of things as well.

I haven’t written that much since my essays last year. Beer o’clock then.

Any questions, fire away

Try Aberystwyth uni as its got nant-y-arain only a few miles down the road 🙂
I know this because my lads there and when i go visit him we do nant

Oh and regarding the placement thing that Loughborough don’t offer for your course- if you do a few summer/holiday time internships or work experience, then thats several placements done anyway. And you have them in time to help your grade in 2nd year.

Jon Pybus who won the race isnt there anymore- he’s graduated. Also races for GT- top lad! I won the sport race, should’ve raced the elite but oh well!