Lime Bikes Used for London Joust
Organizers describe the Hackney park event as a free performance art experience that raised funds for five charities.
By Jack Weber ·
Actor Cameron Carnegie-Brown and artist Jack Carden held a second jousting duel in London Fields Park, Hackney, on Saturday. The two men competed on hire e-bikes provided by Lime, an event that organizers described as a free community gathering intended to make participants feel alive.
The Saturday match raised funds for five charities. On the preceding Friday, a professional jouster from Leeds stated that using Lime bikes for the sport was a legitimate form of the medieval activity. Lime previously noted that its vehicles were not designed for jousting, though the company appreciated the medieval spirit while emphasizing that safety must remain the primary concern.
Both Carnegie-Brown and Carden identified crowd safety as their top priority. Carnegie-Brown told BBC London that the pair planned a larger space for this second event compared to the first duel. The layout included a designated action zone, a dead zone, and a specific area for spectators. Stewards managed crowd control, and health professionals were present at the venue.
Carnegie-Brown described the physical experience of jousting on the bikes. He said that once a rider puts on the visor, the environment becomes isolated. The rider sees only a narrow slit and the opponent, while still hearing the crowd and their own breathing. He noted that the adrenaline causes the heart to beat faster, but the act of pedaling helps riders forget their nerves.
Tommy Moore, a 28-year-old content creator involved in the event, explained the choice of vehicles. He said that horses are difficult to source in London, so the group chose Lime bikes to bring the sport into the 21st century. Moore described the event as community-building and noted that participants were respectful and in good spirit.
To manage the attendance, organizers capped the online RSVP list at 5,000 people. They released the specific location to those who had registered two hours before the event began. Hackney Council stated that it had not granted permission for the event to take place within the borough.
Carnegie-Brown characterized the joust as a British performance art. He said the duo did not view the event as a competition or a ticketed show. He described the initiative as a way to give people a free experience and to share a feeling of wildness and freedom on the bikes.
