I don’t race at all and I am currently riding an OCR (comfort rode) bike. BUT – Would I like a frame that is lighter-yes? Would I like wheels that rolled a little smoother and were a little lighter-yes? Would I like a frame that was stiffer yet still comfortable-yes? Isn’t this what the big manufacturers are spending millions of dollars to innovate so that we can reap the trickle down benefits? I think that many of the road bikes used by the Pros fit much of the above criteria even for a rider who doesn’t race.