I had an Ascent EX around 1991 which I fondly remember, if only for the story of how it was stolen by a 'buyer' from Loot ! .
I was considering the Apex and Axis at the time but the Ascent EX actually looked better then the others, it was black with pink paint splatter which sounds horrible but looked great, all the components were Deore ( DX ?) and yes the frame was the same but I think the Apex had Deore LX . The shop ( the original ' buy a bike' shop at Charnock Richard. I went in with the question 'what's the best mtb I can have for £500 ? 'and was steered away from the overhyped Scott's I was looking at to the Diamondback range they'd just got in , the Ascent looked more bike fir the money and I never regretted it
If there's any appetite for the theft story. I'll share it but dont want to be a bore even though it's like an episode of the sweeney.