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
Kona Bicycle Company Kona Bicycle Company Kona Bikes is a bicycle company based in the Pacific Northwest. The company was founded in 1988 by Dan Gerhard and Jacob Heilbron in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Still owned by Gerhard and Heilbron, their world headquarters are located in Ferndale, Washington, with Canadian distribution offices in Vancouver, and European distribution offices in Geneva, Switzerland. Gerhard and Heilbron worked initially with Mountain Bike Hall of Fame rider Joe Murray to create a range of custom steel hardtails. Kona was the first brand to produce a complete range of sloping top tube design mountain bike frames. Paul Brodie