James May has always been a big fan of the Dacia Sandero and in a recent review for Drive Tribe, has pitted it against his very own bicycle in a rather unusual test.
The Sandero tested is a mid-range variant that costs a touch under £10,000 in the UK and while the Sandero is available in bog-standard form for less than £8,000, this mid-range variant is a little more civilized. By comparison, May’s custom-built Orbea bicycle costs almost the same and is made almost exclusively from carbon fiber. May says that if it was a car, it would be the equivalent of an exotic supercar.
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On the subject of practicality, there are some pros and cons for both the Sandero and the bicycle. For example, the Sandero can carry four adults and has a spacious trunk while the bicycle is a strict ‘single-seater’ in the words of May. However, the bicycle can fit in places that the car cannot, such as the pub that May owns.
The Sandero also has a significant power advantage as its three-cylinder engine delivers 89 hp. By May’s calculations, he can produce up to ¼ of a horsepower when riding his bicycle. He adds that using and maintaining a bicycle costs more than many people would expect. Entry-level versions of the Dacia Sandero deliver 65 hp and while that’s not a lot, it is still significantly more than the bicycle.