'98 Merlin XLM, XTR, tricked out
Best climbing bike I've ever owned. I say this a lot but it's the truth: I still haven't found anything else that can touch the shifting performance on the '98 XTR 8-speed groupo. The 10-year old Chris King Classic hubs roll light, smooth, and strong.
'08 Voodoo Bokor, XT
Recently, I gave the Merlin to my brother-in-law. This is my new budget bike ("budget" in that it cost me less than the Merlin - the wife certainly wouldn't call it that). The frame is not at all bad for the money. It's versatile - you can build it geared or SS and it even has linear brake posts.
Thinking about building either a 29er hardtail (Niner EMD maybe?) or a 26" AM hardtail (Brodie Holeshot or similar) and turning the Voodoo into an SS. And if I ever win the lottery, I might try an FS 😀