What Are the Old Bicycles Called?

The old-fashioned bicycles with a giant front wheel are most commonly called “penny-farthings” (also known as “high-wheel” or “high-wheeler” bicycles). Earlier predecessors include the “dandy horse” (or “draisine”) and the “velocipede” (nicknamed the “boneshaker”), while the later “safety bicycle” introduced the familiar chain-driven, equal-wheel layout that modern bikes use. Collectors and historians also refer to such machines broadly as “antique” or “vintage” bicycles.

Common Names You’ll Hear

Several distinct terms describe the earliest generations of bicycles, each tied to a specific design era and technology. The following list outlines the most widely used names and what they refer to.

• Penny-farthing (High-wheel/High-wheeler): The iconic 1870s–1880s bicycle with a very large front wheel and tiny rear wheel, ridden high above the road.
• Velocipede (Boneshaker): A mid-1860s pedal-driven bicycle with wooden wheels and iron tires; the ride was so rough on cobblestones it earned the “boneshaker” nickname.
• Dandy horse (Draisine): An early 1810s–1820s two-wheeled, foot-propelled “hobby horse” without pedals, invented by Baron Karl von Drais.
• Semi-high wheelers: Transitional designs of the late 1880s that lowered rider height and began addressing safety concerns of the high-wheeler.
• Safety bicycle: The late-1880s onward chain-driven design with two similar-sized wheels—ancestor of today’s standard bicycle.
• Antique/Vintage bicycles: Broad, non-technical terms used by collectors for early models across these eras.

Together, these terms map the evolution from balance bikes to pedal-driven machines and, eventually, to the safer, more practical format that dominates today.

How the Designs Evolved

Understanding the timeline helps explain why different names came into use and how technology and safety reshaped cycling.

1. 1817–1820s: Dandy horse (Draisine) — a steerable, foot-propelled balance machine without pedals.
2. Mid-1860s: Velocipede/Boneshaker — pedals added to the front wheel, with heavy wooden frames and iron-rimmed wheels.
3. 1870s–1880s: Penny-farthing/High-wheeler — huge front wheels allowed higher speeds per pedal stroke, but raised the rider dangerously high.
4. Late 1880s: Semi-high wheelers — lowered riding position and incremental safety improvements.
5. Late 1880s–1890s: Safety bicycle — chain drive to the rear wheel, similar-sized wheels, pneumatic tires; this design quickly became the standard.

By the 1890s, the safety bicycle eclipsed high-wheelers due to better stability, comfort, and accessibility, cementing the modern bicycle’s form.

Why “Penny-Farthing”?

The term “penny-farthing” comes from British coins: the large penny and the much smaller farthing. Placed side by side, they resemble the outsized front wheel and tiny rear wheel of the high-wheeler. In period sources, “ordinary” or “high bicycle” were common; “penny-farthing” became the popular retrospective nickname.

Collecting and Terminology Today

In museums, auctions, and enthusiast circles, precise naming helps identify a bike’s era and value. The list below highlights how the terms are typically used now.

• “High-wheeler” or “penny-farthing” denotes the 1870s–1880s big-wheel era prized by collectors.
• “Boneshaker” flags an earlier, rough-riding velocipede—rarer and often museum-grade.
• “Safety bicycle” refers to late-1880s onward designs that look familiar to modern riders.
• “Vintage” and “antique” are umbrella labels; sellers often add decade-specific descriptors (e.g., “1890s safety”).

Accurate naming can significantly affect appraisal, restoration choices, and historical interpretation when buying, selling, or displaying early bicycles.

Summary

The old bicycles people picture with a huge front wheel are called penny-farthings, also known as high-wheelers. Earlier types include the dandy horse (draisine) and the velocipede (boneshaker), while the later safety bicycle set the pattern for modern bikes. In current usage, “antique” or “vintage bicycles” serves as a broad category covering these historic designs.

What is an old bike called?

“Old bike name” can refer to the specific Draisine (also known as a swiftwalker) invented by Karl von Drais in 1817, the Penny-farthing (or “high-wheel” or “ordinary”) from the 1870s, or the boneshaker (or Michaux velocipede) of the 1860s, all of which are early types of human-powered vehicles. You might also be asking for names of historical brands, such as Royal Enfield, Indian Motorcycle, Triumph, or Harley-Davidson.
 
Historical Terms for Early Bicycles

• Draisine/Swiftwalker: This early, pedal-less, wooden-framed vehicle was the first bicycle, developed in 1817. 
• Velocipede: A general term for human-powered vehicles, but often used to refer to the boneshaker. 
• Boneshaker: A Michaux-era velocipede from the 1860s, named for its uncomfortable ride due to its rigid construction and metal tires. 
• Penny-farthing/High-wheel/Ordinary: This iconic, large-front-wheeled bicycle from the 1870s was so-called because its rear wheel was very small, like a penny next to a farthing. 
• Safety Bicycle: The “sketchy” predecessor to the modern bicycle, the high-wheel was so named because it was the only model available before the 1880s, when the safety bicycle was invented. 

Historical Motorcycle Brands
If you are interested in the names of manufacturers of older motorcycles (often called “vintage” or “retro” motorcycles), here are a few examples of brands that have a long history: 
Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle, Triumph, Norton, Brough Superior, Vincent-HRD, BMW, Moto Guzzi, and BSA.

What are the old bikes called?

Velocipede
The Penny Farthing came after the development of the ‘Hobbyhorse’, and the French ‘Velocipede’ or ‘Boneshaker’, all versions of early bikes.

What is another name for a penny-farthing?

In the late 1890s, the name “ordinary” began to be used, to distinguish them from the emerging safety bicycles, and that term, along with “hi-wheel” and variants, are preferred by many modern enthusiasts.

What is the old name for a bicycle?

Older names for a bicycle include velocipede, hobby-horse, dandy horse, draisine, and boneshaker, all terms for human-powered, two-wheeled vehicles that preceded the modern bicycle. The term “velocipede” was used for the earliest machines, which were powered by pushing with the feet, and later for the first pedal-driven designs. The pedal-powered models were known as “boneshakers” due to their rough ride, while the high-wheeled models that followed were called the penny-farthing.
 
Early contraptions: 

• Draisienne/Draisine/Hobby-horse/Dandy horse: These names refer to the earliest version, the “swiftwalker” or running machine invented in 1817. It was a two-wheeled wooden frame that the rider pushed along with their feet.

Pedal-powered vehicles:

• Velocipede: Opens in new tabA broad term that was applied to various human-powered, wheeled vehicles, including the early pedal-powered models developed in the 1860s. The French term vélocipède was adopted from the German Laufmaschine (running machine). 
• Boneshaker: Opens in new tabThis was a nickname for the pedal-powered velocipedes of the 1860s, which had wooden wheels with iron bands, resulting in a very rough ride. 
• Penny-farthing/High-wheeler: Opens in new tabThis was the term for the large-wheeled bicycle that became popular after the boneshaker. The name came from the two coins of different sizes, the large penny and small farthing, resembling the two wheels.