@GeoffM - you might have seen on another thread that I've done so already - same day as you. Was a 60 mile trip from Birmingham, but thoroughly worth it. Whilst I think I really should try some other bikes, I am mightily impressed with the Sport model - responsive and loads of fun! Given that a couple of other manufacturers/distributors have said to me that they don't offer demo rides, Eco Republic's open trial policy works very well in their favour.
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Rear wheel drive on a car and a bike are rather different.
In general, you want the power going to the wheels with the weight over them for obvious reasons of grip.
On a car, rear wheel drive works OK because it gives handling and grip characteristics which a skilled driver can use to advantage and because on hard acceleration, weight is transferred to the back wheels. On a RWD car weight distribution is more even than a bicycle. A BMW 520 is roughly 51/49 for example.
On a 25kg e-bike with 75kg rider, I don't know what the weight distribution would be but 20kg front 80kg rear wouldn't surprise me. In principle, it would make for very insecure grip characteristics, especially in the wet when turning.
Ideally, you'd add the weight of the motor as low as possible and as near the centre of gravity as possible. That is maybe a plus point of the crank drive systems over hubs. How important it would be I don't know since rear hub drive don't seem to cause any handling problems.
In general, you want the power going to the wheels with the weight over them for obvious reasons of grip.
On a car, rear wheel drive works OK because it gives handling and grip characteristics which a skilled driver can use to advantage and because on hard acceleration, weight is transferred to the back wheels. On a RWD car weight distribution is more even than a bicycle. A BMW 520 is roughly 51/49 for example.
On a 25kg e-bike with 75kg rider, I don't know what the weight distribution would be but 20kg front 80kg rear wouldn't surprise me. In principle, it would make for very insecure grip characteristics, especially in the wet when turning.
Ideally, you'd add the weight of the motor as low as possible and as near the centre of gravity as possible. That is maybe a plus point of the crank drive systems over hubs. How important it would be I don't know since rear hub drive don't seem to cause any handling problems.
@lemmy, thanks for your input. However I understand the front-powered Urban Mover and Wisper folding bikes are popular, and they look like great bikes. I believe what is being said on this point (and it is starting to change my requirements to a rear-powered MTB) but I'd have thought they would not be made nor purchased in great numbers if there was genuinely a problem with this design decision 
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