Well Mark, you have hit the nail on the head. Just about all the low to mid line bikes work well today due to the r&d that went into the top end stuff in years past. (Have you seen the new chorus group? It looks just like last years record.) For a race ready bike can be had for $1,000 today, but there will be guys that want to spend $5k to 7k on a bike because they can. And yes, it will be more comfortable for longer rides and lighter to go up the hills and look really cool.

And in the bigger picture, spending 5 to 7k for a bike which is like a formula one race car (only without the engine) is not that big a deal. As for the pros, they just ride what their given.