Bike porn

The componentry was still evolving in mid 90s from touring stuff, and it got better pretty quickly.
I still ride a 95 Adroit with 8 speed XTR, it's absolutely fine. I also have a 92 Pinnacle with original Deore, it isn't brilliant, but it is still fine, and it marks a turning point in history. First proper complete mountain bike I ever had, and it still allows me to keep up with people on modern stuff.
I also have but don't ride so much a Mantra from 95 with XTR. This climbs steep technical stuff like no other bike I have ever tried. I also ride some very modern stuff off road too, so know the differences.
I once saw a Klein frame cut right through length ways for a display. The manipulation of the alloy was astonishing. Nothing has been done like that in alloy before or since. We are only now getting this kind of sophistication with wrapping carbon, so in that respect as well as many others Klein were truly ground breaking.
Even today few bikes look as good.

tell me youre kidding.

i didn't start this discussion to argue... I said "weird taste, no big deal" but now i have to chime in with more than i wanted to. anyone who had any idea what was good, we drooled over well kitted steel bikes. the GO TO ride was a well upgraded Stumpjumper with an elastomer fork. We all knew that air forks were unreliable. etc etc.

Also the GT avalance in STEEL was a bike to drool over.

Bontrager was another. etc etc.

to the old school MTBer Klein represents the worst of the era.