you can never place too much emphysis on comfort. Most of us have started out on heavy cro-mo and advanced to aluminum for its lightness and stiffness. then many gravitate towards lighter steel of today for comfort-sake. up the food chain is the titanium and the carbon fiber models.

I have been embarrassed out there by bike messangers on beat-up raleigh's wearing jeans and other street attire. He had 6 gears in the back and an older wheelset, but he glided along quickly and efficiently.

Which brings us back to the 'when all else is equal' part. In racing today, the training is better as well. Today they train in wind tunnels, with precise HR zones, better nutrition, better staffing (shuttles, hotels, chiropractors, nutritionists, trainers, sponsors)