Actually, one point I forgot to add on the wheel issue. Based on my reading concerning rolling resistance, I have come to the opinion that narrower tires definitely make you feel like you are going faster... whether you are or not.

Some of this is could be related to crisper handling. I know I like the snap of a bike with narrower higher pressure tires, but I prefer the relative comfort of a wider tire. There are at least some cases where rolling resistance is marginally lower on wider tires, but there could also be a marginal increase in wind resistance because of the wider profile. And better acceleration could potentially make you feel faster... and in reality your average speed could be higher if you do a lot of climbing, or acceleration after cornering etc.

Actually, it is too bad that you got rid of your road bike, because I was going to suggest that putting the road bike wheels on your new bike would provide a clear indication of whether the higher speed on your road bike was due to the wheels and tires. If you know anyone with a set of road wheels/tires to borrow, you could discover whether they make the difference you are looking for. Even if 130 mm spaced, they should work well enough to let you know... although you may have to adjust the shifting to test, as things would be shifted slightly.

Whether you have zero gain in speed, or double it, it could be worth the effort to determine how best to recapture the joy of cycling for you!