Honestly, I'm not sure I'd bother with brifters. If you really want to upgrade the gearing for modest money I'd be inclined to go to downtube or bar-end shifters, put a triple and a new FD on the front and keep the cassette. You'd then have a bike that could climb the side of a house without spending a great deal.

As for the cranks, I am a sceptic about the Zinn philosophy, I think 215 cranks would be absurd. Can't see any reason why 185 wpuldn't be fine. At 6'3" with a 35" inseam I have never felt the need to go above 175.