Photos of a foreign cyclist riding with an air purifier on his back in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province went viral online Wednesday.

The man, identified as "Mike," an Italian teaching at a Chengdu school, was photographed on his bike wearing a breathing mask connected by a hose to a suitcase-sized bag, which contained the custom-made system.

"The whole block is like a respirator," wrote Sina Weibo user Happyzhangjiang, who posted the photos.

Mike said he put together the portable air purifier to help him cope with Chengdu's air quality during his daily commute.

"I'm not tired at all [from carrying the device]," Mike was quoted as saying in the Weibo post.

A rechargeable battery and a voltage converter are also required to power the machine.

Mike said the entire setup set him back about 1,500 yuan ($245).

"It is a real bargain," he said, "the benefits of the air purifier far outweigh the cost."