Thanks for all the input and ideas, you've got me thinking! And since it sounds like it's still a solid bike, I think going the route of mild upgrades and proper maintenance sounds like the best option. I doubt I could sell it for much, and so the best value is keeping it. But perhaps not getting overly fancy with the upgrades.
Originally Posted by mrv
- raise the bars. Get a new stem, some kind of crazy high riser thing, get the weight off your palms. It'll be the best thing when riding with the kids.
I really like that idea. I do notice that when I'm riding with the kids it comes down to either a sore back or sore palms, because I'm not riding the bike like it's designed. Getting a more upright position would be really helpful I think.
Originally Posted by Darth Lefty
FWIW, I have not found the suspension fork on my bike - either the original crappy Suntour or the replacement Rock Shox Duke - to be any trouble at all for me on the road, and it was nice to still have it when I made it back into a MTB.
It's not a huge problem, it just seems feels like I give up a lot of energy into the front fork unnecessarily since I'm not on the trails. Maybe that's just an illusion. If I could make it firmer I'd keep the shocks, but they don't have a lot of adjustment and the firmest I can make them is still quite soft.
You've all given some really great suggestions, thank you very much! Now I've got a bunch more research to do, and I'm glad for the pointers. I think I'll also take the bike to the local shop for a tune-up. I'm hoping the shifting issues are just gummed up cables and can be fixed easily. It eventually shifts, it just takes 5-10 seconds to do it 
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