Yup, pedals and Handlebars are the things that bugged me most about mine. I'm currently rolling Tioga Surefoot 8 pedals and a Soma Sparrow handlebar. I'd take exception to the statement that components other than the pedals are crap. The pedals are crap, I always felt like my feet were going to roll off of them.

I also went with shorter cranks... because I've got shortish legs.

Realize, I've actually changes a number of other things, but those were simply for how I ride (it's my daily-ish office commuter). Smaller chainring, fatter tires... haven't replaced any of the major mechanical bits that someone might call crap (headset, wheels, BB, chain, freewheel).