What Is a Vintage Bike Called?

Most people call it a “vintage bicycle” or “classic bike.” If it’s very old—roughly 100 years or more—it’s often labeled an “antique bicycle,” while the iconic 19th-century high-wheeler is called a “penny-farthing” or “ordinary.” In cycling culture and the collector market, these terms carry specific connotations about a bike’s age, design, and historical significance.

Common Terms and What They Mean

In everyday use, several labels overlap when people refer to older bicycles. Here’s how the most common terms are typically used by riders, collectors, and sellers.

• Vintage bicycle: A broad catch-all for older bikes, often from the mid-20th century through the 1980s (and sometimes into the early 1990s).
• Classic bike: A bike considered notable for design, craftsmanship, or cultural impact. Often overlaps with “vintage,” but emphasizes reputation and enduring appeal.
• Antique bicycle: Generally reserved for very old bikes—commonly pre-1920 or roughly 100+ years old—such as early “safety” bikes and high-wheelers.
• Penny-farthing/Ordinary: The 1870s–1880s high-wheel bicycle with a large front wheel and tiny rear wheel.
• Retro bike: A modern bicycle built to look old, or an older bike updated with newer parts while keeping a period style.
• Old-school/Beater/Ten-speed: Informal slang for 1960s–1980s bikes, especially steel-framed road bikes used for commuting or as budget rides.

While usage varies by region and community, the pattern is consistent: “vintage” and “classic” are the most common everyday terms, with “antique” reserved for truly early machines and “retro” describing new-with-old-style builds.

How Age Brackets Are Usually Set

There’s no single global standard, but cycling communities often use rough cutoffs that help buyers and event organizers speak the same language.

Many collectors consider bikes made before about 1987–1990 as vintage, a period marked by steel frames, down-tube shifters, quill stems, and non-aero brake routing. Events like Eroica commonly use a 1987 cutoff for eligibility. “Antique” is generally pre-1920 or near the 100-year mark, while “classic” is more about significance than age alone, covering influential models from brands like Raleigh, Bianchi, Peugeot, Colnago, Schwinn, and Bridgestone.

How to Tell if a Bike Is Vintage

If you’re unsure what to call a bike, certain design cues can signal that it’s from a vintage era, especially for road and touring machines.

• Lugged steel frames with narrow tubing and brazed-on lugs.
• Quill stems (inserted into the steerer) rather than modern threadless stems.
• Down-tube or bar-end shifters; friction shifting rather than indexed in early examples.
• Non-aero brake levers with exposed cables looping out from the top.
• Threaded headsets and cup-and-cone hubs; square-taper bottom brackets.
• 5–7-speed freewheels (not cassettes) on older road bikes; 27-inch or 700C wheels with narrow rims.
• Regional threading standards (English/Italian/French) affecting bottom brackets and headsets.

No single feature is definitive, but the combination of frame construction, component style, and shifting/braking systems reliably points to a bike’s era.

Notable Categories and Examples

Different eras produced distinct “vintage” archetypes. High-wheelers (“ordinaries”) dominate the 1870s–1880s; early “safety” bicycles with chain-driven rear wheels define the 1890s onward; 1930s–1950s three-speed roadsters (e.g., Raleigh) shaped everyday transport; 1960s–1980s lightweight steel racers and tourers (e.g., Peugeot PX10, Bianchi Specialissima, Bridgestone RB-series) are staples of today’s vintage scene; and early mountain bikes (e.g., 1981 Specialized Stumpjumper, “klunkers”) now qualify as vintage in many circles.

When to Use Each Term

If you’re describing an older bike without getting into the weeds, “vintage bicycle” or “classic bike” will be understood almost everywhere. Use “antique” for very early machines, especially pre-1920 or 100+ years old. Choose “retro” if the bike is modern but styled like an older one—or if it’s an older frame outfitted with newer parts that preserve a vintage aesthetic. For 19th-century high-wheelers, “penny-farthing” or “ordinary” is the historically correct term.

Events and Culture

Enthusiast gatherings help anchor the terminology. Eroica events around the world typically require pre-1987 road bikes with period-correct features (like down-tube shifters), reinforcing “vintage” standards for lightweight racers. Tweed Rides celebrate early 20th-century style and often feature rod-brake roadsters and three-speeds. Online marketplaces and forums frequently tag listings as “vintage” or “classic,” while truly early bikes appear under “antique.”

Summary

Call it a “vintage bicycle” or “classic bike” for general use; reserve “antique” for very early machines and “penny-farthing/ordinary” for high-wheelers, with “retro” describing new bikes made in an old style. In practice, “vintage” and “classic” are the most widely accepted and flexible terms, especially for mid-20th-century through 1980s designs that define today’s collector and enthusiast scene.