Bike porn

you are missing it. there's an "idea" and then there "execution of the idea". The 90s were full of ideas. the execution was piss. Absolute piss. Not a single product from the 90s would ever be used anymore with any kind of seriousness. (minus a very simple rigid bike from Spooky or somethign)

I doubt many road bikes or track bikes from 90s are used in serious events neither, bike tech moves on. I can't really see Lance riding a 10+ year old trek up mount ventoux.

As far as XC goes ...The late 90s mountain bikes were bloody good. If you picked up a £400-£500 quid bike you got a pretty decent machine for XC riding (I am still using mine). Most of the stuff that you take for granted now was introduced in the late 90s and past 2001 pretty much buggar all has changed with the XC kit on mountain bikes, stuff is a lighter and cheaper and the geometry is more upright.