Alt Bike Culture - Why do you bike joust?

Hey guys, I'm a editor for Verde Magazine, a student-run magazine at Palo Alto High School.

I was wondering about anyone's interest to do a quick interview (email/pm/reply to OP is fine) about bike jousting and why you, personally, do it. Any information is helpful.

Why? I want to spread such an interesting culture!

Thanks in advance guys :)

For more about Verde Magazine check out our website: http://verde.palyvoice.com/about-verde-magazine/ (Verde Magazine)

I take it that you are alone in that pursuit.

Hey guys, I'm a editor for Verde Magazine, a student-run magazine at Palo Alto High School.

I was wondering about anyone's interest to do a quick interview (email/pm/reply to OP is fine) about bike jousting and why you, personally, do it. Any information is helpful.

Why? I want to spread such an interesting culture!

Thanks in advance guys :)

For more about Verde Magazine check out our website: http://verde.palyvoice.com/about-verde-magazine/ (http://Verde Magazine)

'cause my horse got himself killed in our last jousting match. Please, no interviews, I'm still in mourning.

Hey guys, I'm a editor for Verde Magazine, a student-run magazine at Palo Alto High School. ...

I do not bicycle joust, and have not, ever.

I do recall that there was a scene in the 1988 movie "Vibes" that showed it.

There is a scene where the two main (male & female) characters are being chased around on foot in what is Ecuador (in the movie plot). At one point they exit a building and stop in an alley next to a young boy. The camera shows two local (S-American) guys on kids bikes, holding broomsticks on either end of the alley, facing each other. They begin riding to each other and the camera looks back and forth between the three (the two bicyclist and the three people watching) and then shows the two main characters faces as you hear the two bicycle-jousters hit. Then the two main characters keep running.

Movie info links-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096378/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibes_%28film%29

I see now there seem to be a bunch of videos online of people doing it. ...I could not find any video clip of the part of Vibes showing it.

If you REALLY wanted to dig deeper, you might go find out why they put it into that 1988 movie. Someone back then either must have seen it, or just thought it would be really funny.

tried it once as a kid, found out it was a bad idea.

I have never jousted with another person. I have, however, handled various weapons from the bicycle as practice and "what if" fantasy. I came to the conclusion that any application of kinetic energy that was directly connected to the bicycle was going to end poorly. Since there is no independent, self stabilizing mass (horse), any energy applied will most likely knock the applier off of the bicycle.
*Experience* has shown me that chains and slug throwers do work because the energy applied is independent of the bicycle and its driver. With either, one must first understand them, how they work and how to recover.
Swinging a chain can work because when contact is made, the chain does not transmit the shock to the driver. However, swinging a chain from a bicycle is a recipe for a chain in the spokes or wrapped around yourself. It takes practice to be able to do it, to connect with a target (or worse, MISS) and to still keep it out of the spokes and your own face. I have yet to drop myself with a chain. I have connected with the dog chasing me on numerous occasions.
Shooting from a bicycle is not recommended. Let me repeat this... Is Not Recommended. Don't try it. You must assume that you will miss and where is your round going????
Well, been there. Damn good at that. I have connected on numerous occasions with a 4.5mm (BB) pistol and on my last occasion with a 25mm (12ga) pistol, each time I was under pursuit. Most of the people I encounter can think about and perform one task at a time. They don't multitask. Do not ask them to keep track of two simultaneous projects or events. Disregarding clays and birdsmen, your average shooter is only trained to shoot a static target from a static position. Your average cyclist is simply not skilled enough to safely engage a threat coming up your rear at speed. Most of us twist and swerve when trying to look behind us. Then, add target acquisition??? Then, add deflection calculations???? Then, add collateral damage calculations on top of that????? One must have the skill to fly the correct direction, acquire and engage a target coming up your exhaust plume, and neither crash nor cause collateral damage. (translation, KILL somebody)
I'm neither your average shootist nor your average cyclist.
I do this very well.
Don't try it.
Just don't.
As to jousting, IF one thinks pre-stirrups, one may be able to make contact and stay on the bicycle. I still think that it is a bad idea.

Jousting might not be a good idea but Portland has a chariot wars contest every year called Ben Hurt. Looks like a lot more fun than jousting. When we were kids we used to play tag in the woods, to tag someone they had to be knocked off thie bike, did not count if they didn't hit the ground. We were the kids that other kids were told they weren't allowed to play with.

http://youtu.be/DnvmNtCccpI

Here's some jousting in Portland.

I don't need to joust. Chicks dig Tempest.

You Joust to find the winner.

The only winner is anybody that didn't participate. I've nearly died from kidney failure, and just last year so I really don't share your perspective on the subject, thank you.