ordinary bicycle

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ordinary bicycle

A man rides an ordinary bicycle down a cobblestone street.

Definition

Noun: * An early bicycle with a very large front wheel and a small back wheel: This term refers specifically to a historic design of bicycle, popular in the late 19th century, characterized by its dramatically disproportionate wheel sizes. It is also commonly known as a "penny-farthing."

Usage

The term "ordinary bicycle" is used historically to describe and distinguish this specific, iconic design from modern safety bicycles. It is a formal or technical term. * The museum has a collection of Victorian-era transportation, including an ordinary bicycle. * Before the invention of the chain drive, the ordinary bicycle was a popular, though dangerous, mode of transport.

Advanced Usage
  • Historical Context: The phrase is often used in discussions about the evolution of technology and transportation. It highlights a specific stage in bicycle development.
    • The ordinary bicycle was eventually replaced by the "safety bicycle," which had two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive.
Variants and Related Words
  • Penny-farthing (n): The more common colloquial name for an ordinary bicycle, derived from the British penny and farthing coins, which were of similarly disproportionate sizes.
    • He rode a penny-farthing in the historical parade.
  • High-wheeler (n): Another synonym emphasizing the large front wheel.
  • Safety bicycle (n): The subsequent design that made the ordinary bicycle obsolete, featuring two wheels of the same size and a chain-driven rear wheel.
Synonyms
  • Penny-farthing
  • High-wheeler
  • Velocipede (though this term can also refer to earlier pedal-less models)
Antonyms
  • Safety bicycle
  • Modern bicycle
Related Phrases/Idioms
  • To take a header: This idiom originated from the danger of riding an ordinary bicycle, where hitting a small obstacle could cause the rider to be pitched head-first over the large front wheel.
    • The road was rough, and he was afraid he would take a header from his ordinary bicycle.
ordinary bicycle

A man rides an ordinary bicycle down a cobblestone street.

Noun
  1. an early bicycle with a very large front wheel and small back wheel

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