My full review of the Pulse Q.1 City

Twice The Bikes (Tigo)
Sep 19, 2025
3 min read

The Pulse Q1 City is a fat tire electric bike designed for comfort, stability, and relaxed urban cruising. With its long seat, wide frame, and torque sensor powered ride feel, it combines practicality with a stylish design. After putting the Q1 City through its paces, I found some quirks but also plenty of reasons to enjoy this electric city bike.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Unboxing the Pulse Q1 City is straightforward. You mount the front wheel, handlebar, and pedals, and the bike is ready to go. Mine arrived with a small mark on the seat, but after contacting Pulse they assured me that if you encounter any problems they will take care of it.

One of the first details I noticed was the battery placement. Compared to the Pulse R1S and the S6 Go, this setup looks cleaner, feels more secure, and balances the bike nicely. The frame also includes mounting points for passenger foot pegs, which means you can carry a second rider with ease.

Design and Features

The Q1 City includes a bright headlight, street focused tires with a cool tread pattern that run quietly, and a seat that is both stylish and comfortable.

Like other Pulse models, this bike uses a single gear drivetrain. Normally that might limit flexibility, but the torque sensor makes the system feel smooth and natural. Pedal assist engages instantly, and the power delivery feels very well tuned. On other electric bikes I often notice lag at low speeds, but Pulse has solved that issue here.

The riding position is upright and similar to other fat tire cruisers. It feels more like sitting on a small moped than a traditional bicycle, but that works well for relaxed city rides.

Comfort and Ride Feel

The long seat and wide frame make it easy to ride with a passenger, or even two if you squeeze. The fat tires absorb small bumps without effort, and overall the bike feels stable and planted.

Wide handlebars create a comfortable stance, but in very sharp turns they swing out further than expected. This makes the bike feel heavy in tight corners, a handling quirk I also noticed on the Pulse S6 Go. When you turn the wheel past a certain angle the bike tends to lean in harder, which takes some effort to control.

Pulse advertises a range of up to one hundred kilometers. In real life use, expect between fifty and seventy kilometers depending on your assist level. That is still quite good for a fat tire electric bike in this category.

Build Quality and Small Issues

The compact fenders look great, but I ran into one minor problem. The included screws did not match the mounting holes, which meant I had to use my own bolts to secure them. This is not a big issue, but it is surprising since the other Pulse models did not have this problem.

Aside from that, the overall build feels solid, even if it does not reach the refinement of more premium brands.

Final Verdict

So what do I think of the Pulse Q1 City?

It is a stylish and comfortable fat tire bike that works perfectly as a city cruiser. The torque sensor makes the single speed drivetrain enjoyable, the range is solid, and the ability to carry a passenger comfortably is a big plus. On the downside, sharp corner handling is not as smooth as it could be, and small details like mismatched screws and minor cosmetic flaws hold it back from feeling fully premium.

If you are looking for a higher quality fat tire electric bike for city commuting, weekend rides, or cruising with a friend, the Pulse Q1 City delivers a fun and comfortable experience.