“Joust, joust, joust,” the crowds jeered, as two knights charged towards one another, lances raised.
You might be forgiven for thinking the scene had been lifted from medieval Camelot.
But, atop a neon-green steed, the “knights” in question are taking part in a new phenomenon called “Lime bike jousting”, which sees riders on the rental e-bikes charge at one another brandishing striped poles.
Artist Jack Carden and actor Camtholomew the First, whose real name is Cameron Carnegie-Brown, staged their first duel earlier this month, drawing hundreds of spectators to London Fields, east London.
Footage of the first duel showed the pair charging towards one another on the electric bikes, dressed in chainmail, red and black cloaks and full suits of armour.
Each wielded a striped lance as they attempted to knock their opponent from his saddle.
But their mediaeval enthusiasm was not shared by the bikes’ owners.
Lime released a statement saying: “While we appreciate the mediaeval spirit, safety must always come first. Lime bikes are designed for getting around the city, not for jousting.”
The company also discouraged riders from “attempting similar events”.
The men defied the warnings to stop and took part in another event on Saturday, called Lime bike Jousting 2: No Horses, No Mercy.
More than 5,000 people had registered their interest within a day of the invitation going online.
The organisers received police approval for the mass gathering and dropped the exact location coordinates just an hour and a half before the duel.
Hundreds of spectators descended on the park in an assortment of medieval finery and Hallowe’en fancy dress, transforming the east London park into a makeshift jousting arena.
Mr Carden said before the contest began: “This is a very special moment, not just for us, but for London... this is the most viewed joust of the modern era.”
The combatants were helped into their armour by their entourage before mounting their electric steeds, decorated for the occasion. “Ring maidens” in medieval dress set out the various rounds.
The pair battled through five rounds, with Mr Carnegie-Brown eventually claiming victory after landing the decisive blow.
Both Mr Carden and Mr Carnegie-Brown said that crowd safety was their “biggest priority” at the event. There were organising stewards to help with crowd control and health professionals on hand.
Hackney Council said it did not give permission for the event to be held in the borough, but organisers claimed they informed the council the event was going ahead with a full safety team.
The two “knights” competed in the duel for charity, raising over £1,200.
The charities include The Bike Project, which fixes second-hand bikes and gives them to refugees, Honour Thy Woman Group, a domestic abuse charity, and the Mental Health Foundation.
There was even a seal of approval from the world of traditional jousting.
Andy Deane, the 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 following the first joust.
Mr Carden told The Telegraph: “We informed the council it was going ahead. We had a full safety team with first aiders, safety stewards, clean up crew, and had a chat with police before going ahead to ensure everything would be safe.
“We have been in touch with Lime from the first joust and they have at no point told us not to go ahead, merely to reinforce safety messages.”
Lime has been contacted for comment.