The Lowdown
The Mongoose Title Tot balance bike has 12-inch wheels and is meant to fit riders 28-38 inches tall, two-years-old and up. Available in orange or silver, the Title Tot’s frame is made from lightweight aluminum so it isn’t too heavy for little kids to push along.
Overall
Pros
- Extremely well-built and will last generations
- Easy quick-adjust seat
- Cool BMX bike design
- Comfortable handles
Cons
- Nothing we can tell
Mongoose has just released its first balance bike in 10 years, and we were one of the lucky few to get to test it out before launch. The Mongoose Title Tot is a balance bike designed to help kids 2 years and older build their confidence before riding their first bike.
If you’re unaware of what a balance bike is, it’s simply a small bike without pedals or brakes. Balance bikes are made to help kids build their confidence on a bike by pushing themselves along with their feet, which helps them learn to balance on two wheels. This removes the need to concentrate on pedaling and helped my 3-year-old learn to go from a balance bike to a real bike in only a few months of practice.
The Mongoose Title Tot has 12-inch wheels and is meant to fit riders 28-38 inches tall, two-years-old and up. Available in orange or silver, the Title Tot’s frame is made from lightweight aluminum, so it isn’t too heavy for little kids to push along. It’s also light enough for adults to carry with one hand without straining. The 12” tires are air-filled, making the ride really smooth while helping the tires grip the road.
The headset and wheel hubs are built with ball bearings, which deliver high-quality performance rarely seen in kids’ bikes, let alone the entry-level balance bike. Possibly most importantly for these growing kids, the seat features a quick-adjust setting, allowing you to quickly and easily adjust the seat height as they get bigger.
The bike frame’s geometry is really modern, and it’s honestly the first time I’ve seen such a cool-looking geometry on a kids’ balance bike. The handles are a nice, cushy rubber or silicone that my son loved hanging on to while riding up and down our neighborhood streets. Even though it was below freezing outside in NJ, he didn’t want to get off his Title Tot.
The Mongoose Title Tot is a seriously impressive balance bike. Is it over-engineered for a balance bike? Maybe, but that’s what Mongoose is all about: making the best bike they can.
If you’re looking for a well-designed bike that’s built to last and can be handed down from older sibling to younger sibling, the Mongoose Title Tot balance bike should be your first stop. It’s the design and build you expect from Mongoose, but focused on the youngest bicyclists learning to ride.
The Mongoose Title Tot balance bike sells for $119.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Extremely well-built and will last generations; Easy quick-adjust seat; Cool BMX bike design; Comfortable handles
What Needs Improvement: Nothing we can tell