A second Lime bike jousting event is set to take place in London on Saturday, and a professional jouster has defended the practice as a “legitimate” form of the sport.
Earlier this month, social media footage showed hundreds of spectators in London Fields, east London, watching artist Jack Carden and actor Camtholomew the First joust while riding the bright green rentable e-bikes. The riders wore chain mail, red and black cloaks, and full armour including helmets, brandishing striped poles as they rode toward each other.
Rematch announced after viral first duel
The pair have advertised a “rematch” on their social media pages, due to take place on Saturday at a location yet to be announced. After the first duel, Lime released a statement saying “while we appreciate the medieval spirit, safety must always come first”, adding that its bikes were “not for jousting”. The company discouraged riders from “attempting similar events”.
Andy Deane, captain of the Royal Armouries jousting team in Leeds, said it was a “joy” to see the bike jousting “capturing the spectacle” of the medieval sport. “This is absolutely a legitimate form of jousting,” he said.
Historical precedent and skill
Mr Deane noted historical variations of jousting, including piggyback jousting in the 14th and 15th centuries and jousting on water with rowing boats. “So bicycles – absolutely the way to go. Certainly if you can’t afford a horse,” he added.
With 33 years of jousting experience, Mr Deane has performed and taught across Europe, Asia, Canada and the US. He highlighted the difficulty of the sport, saying: “Bringing the lance down and holding it firmly to hit a very specific target is difficult when you’ve got all the other things going on.” He noted that uneven surfaces and varying speeds on bicycles require hand-eye co-ordination that “comes down to practice”.
Spectacle and risk
Mr Deane praised the event’s atmosphere, saying: “What is a joy to see is that Lime bike jousting is capturing the spectacle of medieval jousting. You’ve got hundreds of people getting really enthusiastic, laughing their heads off and cheering on the knight they want to win.” He described jousts as “loud, rambunctious, brilliant places to perform”, adding: “If I was 20 years younger, I’d already be on the train down there with my bike.”
He identified the sport’s biggest danger as being flung from a horse or bike and “landing badly”. “There’s definitely a risk involved, but that’s why you’re wearing the armour – to protect you and, for the most part, it does,” he said. Lime have been contacted for comment.
