Actually that's wrong. Bicycles with large front wheels were called "ordinaries," and bicycle's with same sized wheels were called "boneshakers." That giant front wheel provides a lot of suspension that the solid rubber tires of the era lacked, hence their popularity.
WOTD: bone-shaker
got this in my word of the day email from wordnik, figured I'd share.
bone-shaker
http://www.wordnik.com/words/bone-shaker
(noun) A humorous name applied to the bicycle before the introduction of rubber or pneumatic tires and other improvements.
‘Bone-shaker’ was the contemporary name for the ‘penny-farthing,’ an early bicycle having a large front wheel and much smaller rear one.
Example:
'Wonderful,' said Mr. Beasley, evidently much impressed by Frank's ready manner, 'when I was a boy, if a lad had a 'bone-shaker' bicycle he thought he was doing something fine, and as for flying -- why, we never thought of it.'
--The Boy Aviators in Africa ( http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/tbvfr10.txt )
My first 10spd (technically my dad's) was lovingly nicknamed the ball basher after my first ride. :p
Personally I prefer Rump Shakers.
At least that applies to 100% of those who ride it.
go to bicycle heaven,,see a real bone shaker
Finally saw your signs on my late Sunday night run on the trail, I didn't realize it was that far west. Now that I know exactly where it is, I'm planning a trip with the Hubby (for when you're actually OPEN).