Thanks for all the advice/resources about the brakes! Positive update: as of about an hour ago, I have sourced just about the dream set up for the rockhopper! Went to my LBS and found a midge bar just hanging out, deore front and rear derailluer and a double crankset (which is much more appropriate than the biopace), and a new adjustable stem with removalable faceplate all for $40. Granted, it's all used gear but that's just my pace anyway. Pictures to follow, my phone/ipad connection is being stupid.

Hopefully the midge bars will work better as a gravel-grinder than the flat bars I have on there now, and work more seamlessly with the funky accushift shifters I have. Lord knows fitting them on flat bars was a weird and bad look. I'm going to go with the advice listed here and adjust the canti's all the way down then back them off to get max spring tension.

ALSO- by getting these new (to me) components, it means that I can put my 1992 Marin Bear Valley back together and put back on the road for my fiancee to use. Although I still need to source another wheelset.