BS> All of which leads back to the question -- why are the handle bars 
 BS> under the seat, anyway?!
 BS> 
 BS> I've been seeing a recumbent riding around town lately with this 
 BS> layout, maybe I should just pull him over sometime and ask, but that 
 BS> seems like cheating (and might annoying him, if I word the questions 
 BS> wrong!) 
Dear Brian:
It took a little digging through my back issues of Bicycling magazine but 
this may help (from the August, 1994 issue, page 71).  It talked about a 
recumbent called the Ryan Vanguard which had the handlebars under the 
seat.  The others in the article all had more conventional bars.  I quote:
Safety, not speed, sparked its design.  Riding in Beantown...is risky.  So 
Wilson created the bike to guarantee escape and a safer outcome in a 
collision.  The handlebar is und the seat, connected to the fork crown 
iwht an aluminum tube.  This clears the front end and gives you a shot at 
landing on your feet if you're hit or falling.  If you go down, you're 
close enough to the ground to slide to a stop like a baseball player 
coming into home.  In any case, it's unlikely you'll land headfirst.  
Because recumbents are low, some riders install tall orange flags to be 
more conspicuous in traffic.  Equipped this way, the $1,500 Vanguard lays 
claim to the title of safest bike in the world.
(Steve again)  I've never ridden one or seen one up close so all I report 
is what was in the article.  I hope this helps.
Tailwinds to you,
Steve
... Cyclist's Rule #1:  Everywhere you go is uphill or into the wind
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