Originally Posted by
jshort2010
This doesn't answer my question. I'm asking WHY?
btw, two cyclists of equal fitness would not have the same abilities if one was 150 lbs and the other 250 lbs. The latter has to carry an extra 100 lbs.
Your question has already been answered -- you likely lost muscle weight as well as fat. You WILL NOT just see a magical performance increase because of one factor. You're expecting "the magic bullet", and it just doesn't exist.
And you're wrong in your assumption about weight differences, too -- a 100-lb difference in two athletes would affect abilities in the last stages of ENDURANCE, yes, but what you're referring to would be two athletes of equal STRENGTH, not fitness. The heavier athlete, still fit, would be accustomed to carrying that extra weight, and would be able to perform, because he has extra POWER.
Hire a coach; he/she will tell you these things also, and more properly direct you where you fell you need to go.