The coffee masterminds of Propeller Coffee have been supplying coffee beans to various Toronto cafes since the beginning of 2013. Only mid 2014 did they decide to open their own café attached to their roasting facility near Bloor and Lansdowne. The space is outright gorgeous. The coffee is also outstanding. Last time I visited I had a single origin made on the clover machine. As always the coffee was full of flavour and very smooth. They also make to order pour overs and espresso based drinks. There are some nice baked good as well and I hear there are more food options to come.

During the summer there are nice large garage-like doors that open up to the street out front. The main entrance is 42.5 inches wide and inside you’ll find a very large open space. There is no problem getting around as the floor is smooth and everything is on one level. Both the counter where you order and the tables are at an easy height to pull up to. The staff at Propeller were great, even bringing my order to my table without me asking.

There are two large, clean washrooms that include two grab bars and a 34.5 inch wide door. The hand dryer is automatic, but the sink is not and a tad too high at 34.5 inches off the ground. I was able to use it fine, but it might be an issue for some.

Propeller Coffee is located at 50 Wade Ave. right near Lansdowne subway station. However, the nearest wheelchair accessible station is Dundas West. If you’re up for it, it’s about a 10-15 min walk from there. I feel the trip is worth it. There is also street parking for those of you driving over.

It's amazing the difference a set of good tires can make on your wheelchair. This is true in your day to day getting around, especially for those of us who have to deal with snow. It's equally important I think though when you're traveling. You never know what kind of terrain you might run into or what the weather might hold. I'm looking at you always wrong 14-day forecast.

For the past 4 years I've been using Schwalbe Marathon Plus Evolution tires on my Ti-lite chair. They are hands down the best tires I've ever used. First they use a kind of black rubber that will outlast those standard grey tries by ages. I put a lot of distance on my chair every day and I can get a solid year out of these tires no problem. The ones on my chair right now are about 8 months old and showing some good wear. But it's been a cold winter with a lot of salt on the sidewalks around here. Next they have what Schwalbe calls Smartguard. This means that there is an extra thick strip of rubber where the tires touches the ground. This should make it much harder for you to get a puncture. I believe it because for example I've currently put large gashes in my tires that looks awful and yet they are still going without any breaks.

I will admit that these tires are not cheap. Their MSRP is about $63 USD each, so $126 per pair. However I do think it's worth considering how long they will last and how much you can put them through without getting a flat. Trust me dealing with a flat is the last thing you want to do while on vacation. The only other downside to these tires are they are a bit heavy. It's because of the extra rubber for the Smartguard feature. I don't really see it as a big deal but it's worth mentioning. They come in sizes from 22" up to 26".

Propeller Coffee Roasters

Review - Schwalbe Marathon Plus Evolution