I don't know if sced competes but I know I do and I understand his point. I often do endurance events each year on the same equipment I used the first time I entered them as a direct comparison to compete against myself. I also race crits on bike that is not my most aero, partly as a "race what you can replace thing" but also because my results are always going to be relative. I am an amateur and always will be, and the attraction for me is in the actual competition, not seeing a number afterwards.

If I was either truly near the top of the field (meaning pro or at least sponsored in some way), or right at the bottom where I needed a boost to just to make a time cut or stay with the pack, I might feel differently. But as long as I am relatively competitive, which I am, the small equipment gains and losses just don't seem that important.