YANGON, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Before Yangon wakes, buses rumble to life and the streets fill with noise, Ko Mote Seik is already riding. Rain taps his handlebars as he rides around Kandawgyi Lake. It's World Bicycle Day. But for him, every day is a cycling day.

At 63, Ko Mote Seik doesn't just cycle. He lives for it.

"It's been 20 years," he said proudly. "I've ridden every single day for 20 years, even during the COVID-19 period. Not one day missed."

Wearing a simple cycling jersey and helmet, Ko Mote Seik said that he pedaled across Myanmar and even into neighboring countries, including China, India, and Thailand.

What began as a way to shake off the stress of night shifts in hotels and hospitals became a lifelong habit. "I was tired all the time. No exercise. Stressed out. Then I found the bike," he recalled.

"Now, no medicine, no clinics. Just cycling," Ko Mote Seik said.

These days, he rides at least 20 miles daily, often more on weekends. For him, cycling isn't just exercise. It's healing. It's freedom.

"When I ride, I feel happy and healthy," he said. "I don't work anymore. I just ride. Cycling is my life," he said.

But the ride isn't always smooth. High costs, limited time, and the lack of safe bike lanes in Yangon remain constant challenges for many cyclists, Ko Mote Seik said.

"Still, when young people ride, they stay away from drugs. Older people get healthier. And we all make friends. That's the beauty of it," he said.

"Cycling gave me health and happiness," he added. "If we don't have good health, no amount of money can make us healthy," he said.

Ko Mote Seik isn't alone in that belief. Across Yangon, a growing community is turning to bicycles for health, happiness, and connection.

Ko Khin, 38, once struggled with diabetes and high blood pressure. Then he started riding four years ago.

"My health improved. Now I cycle around Kandawgyi Lake every day and go for longer rides on Sundays," he said. "And I've made many friends."

Ko Nyi Htut, 35, works in an office. He picked up cycling just last year. "At first, it was just to get some exercise," he said, adjusting his helmet with a grin. "Now it feels like therapy. It helps me disconnect from screens and stress."

He's part of a growing wave of commuters turning to bicycles as fuel prices rise and traffic worsens in Yangon.

One place that has seen this shift firsthand is UTN Bicycle Shop. A shop in the city for over 30 years, it has become a hub for riders from all walks of life. Tin Ko Latt, 48, has worked there most of his life.

"Our customers include students, office workers, delivery riders, and people cycling for their health," he said. "Sales usually go up in summer and when school starts."

To mark World Bicycle Day, the shop offered free repairs and shared the celebration online. Tin Ko Latt also rides to work every day.

"No waiting for buses. No fuel costs. It's good for your health. That's why I ride," he said.

Across town at Moe Bicycle Shop, Ko Zaw Lin, 51, shared the same passion. "I opened this shop because I love bikes," he said. "Now we even sell battery bikes. More people come in every year."

His customers are a mix of students, workers, and retirees, who are looking for something simpler, healthier, and more affordable.

Since 2018, June 3 has been recognized as World Bicycle Day, which was officially declared by the United Nations to celebrate cycling as a simple, sustainable, and powerful tool for health and mobility.