SINGAPORE, July 4 -- A former corporate high-flyer has reinvented himself as a neighbourhood bicycle repairman, offering free fixes to migrant workers, seniors and young riders from a small Balestier shop.

CNA spoke to Philip Mehl, 56, who spends five days a week at his workshop, where he services dozens of bicycles daily without charging for labour. He keeps detailed records of every repair and part used, but tells visitors they owe nothing - though many still leave small donations to support the effort.

The shop has become a regular stop for elderly residents who rely on bicycles for errands, teenagers who cannot afford commercial servicing, and migrant workers who use bikes to get to job sites. Mehl says he relates to their journeys,...