Don't have any experience with the '14 Crave comp, but I do have a '13 Carve (which was renamed the Crave for '14). I know some subtle changes were made for '14, but can't imagine they are night & day differences. With that said, my '13 Carve Comp is a fun bike. I use it primarily as my training bike, so I spend a fair amount of time in the saddle.
It's a stiff hardtail, so don't plan on plush ride. It accelerates quickly despite the subpar wheelset. Speaking of the wheels, they require truing roughly every 5-10 rides. I've been tempted to loctite the spokes/nipples. My local trail definitely tests the equipment though, as more trails are rock-strewn! The fork is satisfactory, but quite capable. I've only upgraded the cassette, as I happened to have an extra.
Bike is fun and stable! Like I said, frame is stiff, but with lighter components, it could easily be raced. If you tend to do a lot of seated climbing on rough trails, your lower back will be tested. I tend to alternate seated efforts with standing for short bursts to keep things loose. A carbon seatpost may go a long way to improve "seated" comfort!
Not familiar with the other bikes you listed, but I can certainly endorse the Carve/Crave. Given the choice, I would gladly buy it again!
