In 2004, Reed won a place at the University of Oxford to attend a two-year MSc course in engineering, based at Oriel College.

[5] During this time, he trained at the Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC) under coach Sean Bowden, where he earned the nickname "The Commander".

[6][7] In 2005, Reed and his Oxford strokeman, Andrew Triggs Hodge, won GB senior pairs trials (together they won every year from 2005 to 2012), and following the retirement of Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell were selected by coach Jürgen Gröbler to row alongside Alex Partridge and Steve Williams MBE, in the new Great Britain Coxless Four.

[10] At the 2012 Summer Games, Reed, along with Triggs-Hodge, James and Alex Gregory, helped Great Britain retain the gold medal in the men's coxless four.

[12] He then competed at the 2014 World Rowing Championships in Bosbaan, Amsterdam, where he won a gold medal as part of the eight[13] and the following year he was part of the British team that topped the medal table at the 2015 World Rowing Championships at Lac d'Aiguebelette in France, where he won a gold medal as part of the eight with Matt Gotrel, Constantine Louloudis, Paul Bennett, Moe Sbihi, Alex Gregory, George Nash, Will Satch and Phelan Hill.

[2] In August 2014, Reed was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.