What is the name of the bicycle with a large front wheel and small rear wheel?

The bicycle with a large front wheel and small rear wheel is called a penny-farthing.

This high-wheeler became popular during the 1870s and 1880s. Its large driving wheel allowed a rider to travel farther with each turn of the pedals, because the pedals were mounted directly on the front-wheel axle. The design offered speed on the roads of its time, but it also placed the rider high above the ground and made mounting and stopping difficult.

The name compares two British coins: the large penny represents the front wheel, while the much smaller farthing represents the rear wheel. The machine was also known as a high wheeler, ordinary bicycle, or simply an ordinary. “Penny-farthing” became especially common later, even though contemporary riders often used other terms.

The safety bicycle, with two similarly sized wheels and a chain drive, eventually replaced the high-wheeler. Its lower riding position reduced the danger of falls and helped establish the basic layout used by modern bicycles.