With regards to the equipment used. In a weightlifting contest, all competitors would be using the same equipment. That is, when one contestant is finished lifting the weight, the next contestant would take his turn to use the exact same equipment. It would not be that useful for a weightlifter to worry about the equipment. But there are many, many ways to set up a bike. Some of the changes in the way a bike is set up may actually be useful, some may be just for the psychological benefit.
