Bicycle handlebar a steep U-shape from the base, so that the rider's hands rest above waist-level. This style of bicycle handlebar became very popular in the 1960s after the introduction of wheelie bikes such as the Schwinn "Sting-Ray", Raleigh Chopper, and other highly stylized youth bicycles that imitated the appearance of drag-racing or chopper motorcycles of the day. Legislation in the United States introduced during the 1970s limited the maximum height of manufacturer-installed handlebars to 16 inches above the lowest seat setting; European Union safety regulations use a similar limit of 400mm. The apehanger style remained common in the US through the
Trek Bicycle Corporation Trek discontinued the Exercycle line, spinning off its fitness division into an independently-owned company, renamed Vision Fitness. In 1995, Trek introduced its full suspension Y bike, a departure from traditional bike design. The Y bike sold well, and won an "Outstanding Design and Engineering Award" from "Popular Mechanics" magazine. Also in 1995, Trek made a number of business moves in order to diversify its product offering and gain market share, acquiring Klein Bicycles, a Chehalis, WA, manufacturer of premium aluminum-framed bicycles, as well as Bontrager Cycles, a Santa Cruz, CA-based manufacturer of bicycle components and hand-built steel frames. Trek also