A British Columbia teacher cycling around the world for charity says he hopes someone will return his bike, stolen on the last leg of his globe-spanning effort.

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Michael Schratter, 28, of Vancouver, has biked about 24,900 miles on a ride he calls his Ride Don't Hide journey, intended to raise awareness about mental illness, The Vancouver Sun reported Friday.

He had 2,100 miles to go when he and his driving companion stopped for a coffee break in Savana, a town outside of Kamloops in south central British Columbia. When the break was over, the $4,000 carbon fiber bike Schratter was borrowing from his cousin was missing from the side of the road where he had left it.

"Maybe the person who took it doesn't realize it wasn't just abandoned," Schratter said. "And I suspect that person also doesn't know it's a key piece of this journey to help people with mental illness. So I hope this plea gets heard: This bike is special. And my job's not done yet. Please, return the bike, no questions asked."

Willie Cromack of John Henry Bikes in North Vancouver is lending Schratter his own bike so the journey can continue to its projected conclusion Nov. 12, the Sun said.

Schratter has bicycled across six continents in hopes of raising $100,000 for the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Calgary Herald reported.

"I'm pretty passionate about this issue," said Schratter, who says he has firsthand experience with the stigma that can be attached to mental illness.

"You have to keep it a secret. It's almost like it's something to be ashamed of, a mark on your character," he said.