over long distances, though less effective for short bursts of speed. They usually have a wider range of gear ratios (with greater gaps between each ratio) and fewer high-tech racing features. For recreational road cycling, the road-style bicycles with drop handlebars used to be the norm in the 1980s, along with the touring bicycle (a drop-handlebar bike with a slightly longer wheelbase to provide a smoother ride and less sensitivity to steer and balance disturbances). These designs, called "road bikes" or colloquially, "roadies" or "racing bikes", have become less popular in recent years. The Mountain bike geometry, with its straight handlebars and upright sitting position (resembling the city bike), have moved into the high-performance spaces, and high production volumes have brought down costs significantly. UCI rules The UCI rules currently specify that a road bicycle have the following characteristics: be a vehicle with a front wheel steered by a handlebar and a rear wheel driven by a system comprising pedals and a chain by the legs moving in a circular movement that the only points of support are the following: the feet on the pedals, the hands on the handlebars and the seat on the saddle wheels must be of equal diameter, between 70 cm and 55 cm, and must have minimum 12 spokes; spokes can be round, flattened or oval, as far as no dimension of their sections exceeds 10 mm maximum length 185 cm maximum width 50 cm the peak of the saddle must be at least 5 cm behind a vertical plane passing through the bottom bracket spindle the saddle must be between 24 cm and 30 cm in length the distance between the bottom bracket spindle and the ground must be between 24 cm and 30 cm the distance between the vertical passing through the lower bracket spindle and the front wheel spindle must be between 54 cm and 65 cm the distance between the vertical passing through the bottom bracket spindle and the rear wheel spindle must be between 35 cm and 50 cm the maximum internal distance between the front fork ends is 10.5 cm, and of the rear stays 13.5 cm minimum mass 6.8 kg (14.99 lb) frame must be built around a main triangle, constructed of tubular elements (that may have non-circular cross-sections) such that the form of each encloses a straight line The maximum height of the frame elements shall be