Thanks everybody for your feedback.

I was hoping my foray into road bikes would be a lot less messy. Special thanks to #jimc101 as I had assumed the same teeth in the Chainset when in fact the BMC does have 4 more teeth. So #Reynolds maybe I was a bit ignorant of gearing. If #jimc101 is right then the 4 teeth extra on the chainset is equivalent to less than an extra half wheel spin for one full pedal rotation in the highest gear (11T cog) and likely less than a quarter more wheel spin in the gear I was kicking both bikes off from. With that said I will test this again tonight and use way more accurate gearing.

If it helps, I am 6"3 and have a 93cm inseam. I like to ride with a low cadence. I rode the Trek again last night and seriously, it just takes less effort to speed up. Its like jumping from a road bike to a full suspension fat wheel mountain bike. Yes you can choose the right gear, but it takes way more power to go as quick, and the drag is not occurring in the wheels, as I have tested them and they spin freely on the BMC with no break rub.

Another thanks to #Jyl for this list.

Answers

1. I am taking the bike to Evans tonight to check the bottom bracket.
2. I have no experience in the effects of stiffness, but I hope this isn't what it is.
3. My position is subtly different. Both bikes have similar tube angles but the road bike has lower bars further forward.
3.a Seat heights are the same
3.b Tyre pressures are good on both
3.c Breaks rub on Trek not on BMC

4. This is the easy answer. Of course we can say it's in my head, and I have not ruled this out. But I have ridden other road bikes (that both fit and did not fit) and never experienced this lethargy to moving off and accelerating. The feeling is so distinct it has led me to believe the bike is broken.

I will report back tomorrow after Evans have checked the bike with what I find.

Thanks All!