What design feature characterized early high-wheel bicycles that made a chain drive impractical for them?

Answer

They used direct drive, attaching pedals directly to the large front wheel axle.

Early high-wheel designs featured direct drive where speed was regulated solely by the size of the front wheel, meaning faster travel required dangerously large wheels.

What design feature characterized early high-wheel bicycles that made a chain drive impractical for them?
inventionchainmechanismdrive