I have a similar experience. It feels like riding your bike in a higher gear - you can go faster but it will take more effort and you need the potential (stronger legs) to make use of it
You can go further and faster, but you can get to a point where you're out of juice miles from home, and getting back is a chuffing nightmare.
Also, you discover that you're putting on weight and not getting that same buzz you got on your old pushbike.