Any have any experience with the CV? Given I've never owned an MTB and do want to give the whole 'off road' thing a go... But I've gone from thinking about a Spec Rockhopper £799, to now looking at the Halford's special (CV). Currently £299, and not too bad it seems, though it weighs in at 15kg, as opposed to the Spec's 11/12Kg. How much would one notice an extra 2-3kg? I could do the cycle to work scheme on the Spec, but it would still be a fair bit more dosh, and I'm just not sure how I'll take to the whole MTB thing really.
They're good value. MrsO had a CV as her first bike a few years ago and I was quite impressed with it for the money - that was a V-braked and rigid-forked version.
Looking at the Spec. sheet, the only really weak point is the fork. Suntour forks are poorly-damped and flexible. Probably as good as a high-end fork from the mid-90s, though, and adequate for trying-out the rough stuff. The fork is probably also the source of much of the extra weight, too. Brake-wise, I scrounged a set of Tektro disks from a friend for my commuter bike a couple of years ago, and was impressed - certainly better than the BB5s I (unfortunately) replaced them with. And while the gears won't last fanstastically well, they can be regarded as a consumable on an MTB - upgrade as they wear out if you find you like it.
The only other query I would raise is the rear wheel: MrsO's CV had a freewheel, not a freehub. However, a new (or second hand) rear wheel won't break the bank if the current model still has that deficiency...
ETA: Not sure why Clarion wouldn't trust the Carrera... Surely not brand snobbery, Clarion?
Although the Revolution is an equally good buy - I'd say it depends on whether EBC or Halfords are closer to you, really.