I consider anything pre 96 retro (basically before I started riding). I have an early 90’s Cannondale Beast of the East in the garage that I inherited from an uncle. When I first started riding this was the coolest bike ever (alongside a poloshed Zaskar with Judy DH’s, Kooka Cranks and a Hope C2 on the front….)
My BOTE has Pace RC35’s that barely move, an ATAC stem longer than my arm, USE bars and post, a Hope mechanical disc brake etc. With loads and loads of anodised purple! Oh, and a pair of Onza SPD’s with elastomers instead of springs. It has a stupid sized steerer – 1 1/4 inch.
I never ride it, just keep it because I once thought is was very very cool.
I still get tempted when I’m on e-bay by old stuff that I loved when I first started riding; GT STS’s, any Kona from ’97, Super V’s etc. I would snap up a Spooky Metalhead frame in no time at al, even if just to keep. That frame, along with the Z1 really changed things for those not fussed by XC riding.