Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider''s weight is distributed comfortably over several square feet of the back and buttocks. On a traditional upright bicycle, the body weight rests on a few square inches of the sit bones, the feet, and the hands. Most recumbent models also have an aerodynamic advantage; the reclined, legs-forward position of the rider''s body presents a smaller frontal profile. A recumbent holds the world speed record for a bicycle, and they were banned from international racing in 1934.