Well, I have tried both on recumbents. With the Electroportal 500 watt motor (the same motor as Cyclone), I go up my test hill with the same ease as a 1000 watt hub motor. Depending on the gearing, I can get better top speed too. The inline Electroportal weighs about 7 lbs. and the hub motor weighed 15 lbs. The inline motor is more efficient also because it is running near its peak efficiency speed most of the time. Most hub motors are at their most efficient at 11 to 16 mph on the flat. Hub motors aren't really great for very hilly places like where I live. Think about it, would a car work well with only one gear? Which gear would you choose? Now, electric does have a better torque range than the infernal combustion engine but you get my drift.
However, inline motors do have a whine to them when you use them, in traffic you wouldn't notice it but on a trail you do. Hub motors are easy to install and quiet. Inline motors are great on recumbents because they have long chainlines so are easy to install the motors. I don't like the Cyclone because you have to sacrifice the triple crank in front with their system. Now the bike is useless for the steep hills here so I may as well use a hub motor. I did get a freewheeling triple gear from a tandem so I might try that this winter.