George, sorry for not responding sooner. I think billm45s's idea is something you can try. But I think he made one mistake: "make a left from Plaza on to Vanderbilt". I think he meant "make a right" unless I misinterpreted his route. See the links below.
I was going to suggest taking Bedford all the way to Williamsburg Bg, then retun via Wythe Ave and Franklin. It's less than 1 mile longer but very straightworward
Originally Posted by
Stacy
The Manhattan Bridge and the Willy B are only a few blocks apart on the Manhattan side, but several miles apart in Brooklyn. So riding up Bedford all the way to Williamsburg will only add some junk miles to your trip. Stick with the Manhattan Bridge. It really feels like the easiest of the East River crossings.
Look at the map, don't judge distances by eye
From Ocean Parkway/Church Ave to Delancey/Broadway it is:
6.8 miles via Manhattan Bridge
7.5 miles via Williamsburg Bridge
Not hell of a difference, but the last few blocks before Manhattan Bridge on the Manhattan side can be crazy and the route via Bedford to Williamsburg Bg is very, very simple, hard to get lost.
Here is the WillyB route:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/126271
On the way back you won't be able to take Bedford, since it's one-way, so take Wythe instead:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/126293
Here is the Manhattan Bg route:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/126272
George, you should try all suggested routes and pick the one that you prefer most.
Originally Posted by
mcjimbosandwich
don't use Bedford ave as the williamsburg bridge bike lane is not as good as the one on manhattan bridge. the one on williamsburg bridge is hard to navigate during rush hours, and the manhattan bridge one might be slightly better. technically, the pedestrian and cycling traffic are segregated on the manhattan bridge, but given this is nyc, it seems like most people are either illiterate or pretend to be illiterate...
I ride both and Williamsburg Bg is often more crowded, that's true but not as bad, I wouldn't say "hard to navigate" and the pathways have been recently re-done and are wider than Manhattan Bg. The Northern segment is now a bike-only path, although there are still zombies walking there, and the common segment on the Manhattan side has now peds and bikes separated the way Brooklyn bridge does, although 2x as wide. It's really not bad at all.