Key Points:

A "ghost bike" put on the side of a road as a memorial to Whangarei road safety campaigner Fred Ogle, killed in a hit-and-run accident, has been destroyed by vandals.

But it has not deterred fellow cycling enthusiast Ryan Branson who has replaced the stolen bike with a new one.

"It was pretty disappointing, but I just made another one," Mr Branson told the Northern Advocate.

Ghost bikes are an initiative started in the United States a few years ago involving painting bikes white and placing them where a cyclist has been hurt or killed.

Mr Branson decided on the ghost bike tribute to Mr Ogle after reading about it on the internet.

"It's kind of multi-purpose - memorial plus statement plus awareness," he said.

Mr Ogle was struck by a vehicle which didn't stop while out cycling at Maunagatapere, near Whangarei last month.

A man was later arrested and charged with dangerous driving causing death.