Visit Philippe's, eh?

I love finding funky bike shops
with personality. Last week,
I happened across Philippe's Bicycle Repair.

If you're ever in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory,
you should stop by.

Make sure to use the loo
before you visit the shop,
because space is tight
and the bathroom might
be a little crowded.

Bikes, parts and tools fill
every conceivable space in the shop,
except for the spaces filled
by the art that
Philippe creates.

The old shop space—a defunct bus—now
sits out back and holds bikes waiting
to be sold or picked up after repair.

The back yard is filled with bikes
and related paraphernalia,
as well as Philippe's prototypes,
such as his cargo-hauling bike.

As Philippe pointed out, he built
his cargo bike before the Extracycle
existed, and you could use his bike
to haul an Extracycle or two.

This is the back-yard pooch,
whose job is to keep you alert
while walking around staring
at bikes. He does this by mining
the yard with "dog grenades."

Watch where you step.

Trust me on this.

And this is Philippe, the man
whose name is on the front of the shop.

Yeah, he owns a work stand, but he
prefers the chains and hooks that hang
from his ceiling. Full-suspension designs
and carbon-fiber tubes have made
it less convenient to clamp bikes
in stands.

But like Philippe said, "Every bike
has a handlebar and a seat."