If you think a high end bike is only good for a few seconds you have not done a back to back comparison. I once rode 24 miles on a SRAM Force 22 equipped 17.5lbs bike, went home took a 30-40 mins break and rode the same route on a 15lbs SRAM RED and finish 9min faster...that's a big difference. And I ride the same route 4-5 days a week.

All the doctors that I know that ride, only 5, all have $8k+ bikes and all of them race at least once a year...go figure.