I think most of the Northern contingent will have done Derby a few times so we'll have no problem with pubs outside the ring road, there are of course a few don't miss pubs in the centre for those new to the city The Brunswick Inn and The Alexandra Hotel amongst them. These are of course the start/finish pubs due to their location.

The buses look to be fairly good bus map here and this is the obvious ticket to get.

My favourites would be the two above plus,Furnace Inn, The Flower Pot, Exeter Arms, Silk Mill Ale & Cider House.

Remarkably I've never been in the The Babington Arms (JD Wetherspoon) and a few others that come recommended are:

Falstaff Tavern
Greyhound Inn
The Peacock Inn
The Smithfield
The Tap
Little Chester Ale House A micropub in the Little Chester area but there's also Coach & Horses nearby if we wanted a shift system.

Soupy and myself recorded a visit in 2009 here, that thread has a few other ideas especially from Hopwas (I wonder how he's getting on).