David Lloyd - Cambridge

Overview
Just outside the centre of Cambridge in one of the many science parks, connected by various pathways filled with the ever present Cambridge cyclists is the city's only David Lloyd, we went along to this medium sized complex to see what they had on offer!

The facilities are split across 2 floors, with a huge range of other "health club" features at this gym with a vast number of tennis courts and indoor/outdoor pool facilities, the resulting gym areas are all pushed up onto the first floor. The changing rooms are as ever on the ground floor again through the café (another gripe here about lack of signs in these clubs to direct you!)

The gym area itself is a slightly odd layout, with the weights section spread as a U shape around the stairs,  there is then a main cardio area which takes up the bulk of space, with a synergy on one side, another light free weights area another, the cable machines to another  and some cable cross over in the middle… This gym layout is possibly the strangest I have found in a David Lloyd yet. If you want to do any sort of super set or move between free weights to cable you are going to have to pass through quite an area and not trip over the tiny step up on the cardio equipment platform like I did..

The weights are consists of the pretty standard re-furbished David Lloyd setup (for those who have read other reviews!), with 2 lifting platforms with cages for doing squat/deadlift, a good standard set of plate loading machines including incline chest press here (not sure why some have incline and some decline!). A calf raise is present which is always nice and the smith machine  here is one of the free floating bar ones which was a little irksome.
The free weights go up to 50kg and there is one set of each and the mirrors are plentiful in the weights area, which is nice as there are also a reasonable number of windows round here leaving it quite fresh.

The cable machines around the other side again include one of each item you would expect, again this is great but it is worth nothing a little under stocked in variety compared to almost every other David Lloyd I have been to which tend to have at least a few duplicates of this equipment.


The cardio equipment on the other hand is another set of varied and complicated pieces of modern technology, from water rowers to bikes hooked up to a competitive TV application you really could spend your time really being specific about how you wanted to train here with your cardio.

The rest of the gym area included I think3 studios with one of the fully immersive bike studios with the HUGE screen in for spin sessions, there is a reasonably large stretching area hidden round a corner  and with the second free weights area this is where some cable cross over and free weights including the fixed weight barbells lurked.

It must be said all the equipment is very new here and the changing rooms are phenomenal, they along with the studios are clearly where the last refurb money went into this place.

Other points to note here are that as ever wifi is present, parking is ample out the front and the range of other facilities here is quite extensive as this is a fully kitted out David Lloyd from the wider facilities point of view.

All in this is a clean and tidy gym, but while in there looking around it did feel like the gym was really not the focus at this facility and the wider health club features where what people were looking for. The gym certainly serves its purpose and was busy enough when I went, but with only one of each piece of kit, limited ability to easily move between plate and cable this didn't feel like it invited a weight lifter to work through their routine.

In summary a great gym for those who want more of a health club set of features and experience, for those who want to move metal it will do the  job but don't expect a setup which lends itself to a weight lifting culture, even with your own little corner.


How busy?
I trained first thing as ever, there were quite a few people in using kit and generally they were all in the weights area. So I would check for later in the day as this could become even busier.

Not as bad as I have seen though so pretty good for the all up ability to get done what I needed.


Equipment
Free weights area
2 squat racks (2 with deadlift platforms)
1 flat bench, 1 incline, 1 decline
3 free benches
Dumbells up to 50kg
Set of plate machines including
Chest
Row
Shoulder press
Cable machines including
Low row
Cable cross over


Facilities
Indoor Tennis courts
Outdoor Tennis courts
Badminton courts
Squash courts
Indoor Pool
Outdoor pool
Café
Steam room/sauna
Changing/showers
Studios (inc spin)
Free weights area
Weights machines
Cable machines
Cardio area
Synergy 360


Pricing
As ever David Lloyd can vary by location on where your base is, recently talking to a friend they got a starting rate of
£90 for standard
£70 per person for couples
I have as other reviews had between £60-90 as the range and worth a haggle
Remember there is a premium over this for tennis/squash etc


Other bits
The parking has a gate but then you can just drive down the next row anyway.. I was very confused.
The café was huge and lovely here almost got me to stay
Very accessible by road or from the city on foot and close r to the centre than almost any other DL I have been to in any city


https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/clubs/cambridge
https://www.facebook.com/DavidLloydCambridge/

Final Gym Rating:
2 pack!
For a weight lifter expensive but functional and very clean!