Lime has stated that its e-bikes are "not for jousting" after social media videos showed riders dressed in knightly armour duelling across London.
Footage surfaced online over the weekend showing hundreds of people gathered in London Fields, east London, to view artist Jack Carden and actor Camtholomew the First jousting whilst riding the bright green rentable e-bikes.
In the clips, the duo are seen clad in chain mail, red and black cloaks, helmets and full armour, riding towards each other brandishing striped poles.
Onlookers in the crowd can be heard chanting "joust, joust, joust" before one of the men falls off their bike after being jabbed by the other.
A spokesperson for Lime said on Monday: “We always love seeing Londoners come together and build a sense of community in unexpected ways.
“While we appreciate the medieval spirit, safety must always come first.
“Lime bikes are designed for getting around the city, not for jousting.
“We discourage anyone from attempting similar events, to help keep riders and those around them safe.”
Posting on social media in the run up to the weekend, Mr Carden said the “free public joust” was “performance art”.
In a video from the event posted to both competitors’ social media accounts, a voiceover says: “I want to remind you all why we are here, not only does this mean some artistic violence but to come together and celebrate art, to remind ourselves that we’re all the same and that what we need right now in this world is a little bit more love.”
A video on Mr Carden’s Instagram account of the joust has been watched more than four million times.
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