Somebody always wants to start a religious war 🙂 But here goes..... it's long.
You've got a good, healthy curiosity about the range of components. The marketing array is mind-boggling, but this is how the industry survives. Think of downhill skiing -- they come out with new stuff 2 or 3 times a season, and everybody who ever wanted a new toy is more than willing to tap their bank account for the privelege.
Keep in mind that, even though the Rocky Mountains-to-Prairies looks big on the map, you're not heading out on the Silk Road. You don't need expedition-type reliability when there's always a bike shop (even a WalMart) in the next county. So things like 4-cross spoke patterns and Woods valves (?? never heard of it) should be mere curiosities.
Most of your decisions would have been easy 15 years ago. At that time, components were tried-and-true, and the newcomer designs, although promising, hadn't proved themselves yet. So it was safe to stick to what was proven and available. Now, you're basically stuck with "what's available". For instance, splined bottom brackets are standard, and it might be difficult to find a square-taper one when you're stuck out in east county. But there's no great advantage to the newer design. Shimano just saw a marketing opportunity. It really only matters to someone who's trying to replace a matching part.
Here's my opinions. Some of them will fan the religious wars.....
BOTTOM BRACKET: Cartridge type, splined bottom bracket. (No, cottered crank isn't available anymore, that's one old design that deservedly bit the dust.) E.g., Shimano ES71. Controversy level: 1
CRANK: Alloy. The bottom bracket you get will usually have a matching crank component. Range up to $300 or more, but not worth spending $$$$ on. One thing to sweat over: the crank length. Tourers/MTBs usually go for 170 or 175mm (the longer the crank, the more leverage you have). But a short rider might need 165. This is one component (the frame and the seat are others) that depend on personal preference. If you can, try both lengths to decide. Controversy level: 1
PEDALS: I've cycled 1000s of miles, and commute daily with platform pedals and clips/straps. Some people would never ride without clipless (click-in). Controversy level: 9 (!) Clipless take getting used to, but should be at least marginally more efficient. If you get platform, use clips and straps; the short strapless ones would be almost useless. You can ride with the straps semi-loose just fine.
CHAINWHEELS: Your bike shop says 2??? What century are they in? If you take their advice, stick to the prairies. You need 3. My preference is 42/32/24 (?? not sure about the smallest), but everybody has different cranking needs. Controversy level: 3 Make sure you get a crank with bolts that allow you to swap chainwheels, avoid the riveted-on ones.
FREEHUB/FREEWHEEL: The only reason to get a freewheel (screw on) is if you have a box of those hubs sitting around. Cassettes (splined for freehubs) are 99% of the market now. The design also makes the axle a bit stronger. They're easier to get off if you have to change a spoke. Besides, you probably won't have a choice at your average bike shop. Minimum gearing (especially in the mountains) is 12x28, 11x34 is possible (that means 8 or 9 gears, like 12-14-16-18-20-22-25-28). Controversy level: 3
DERAILLEURS: Not a big deal. Clamp-on is fine, especially if you don't have braze-on lugs. Just be sure the rear derailleur can handle the largest/smallest gears you choose. Your bike shop can help with this if needed. Controversy level: 2
SHIFTERS: I'm 100% for bar-end. They're simple, reliable, easy to reach, easy to shift a handful of gears at once. Nothing else comes close to all that. Downtube is simple, reliable, but hard to reach when you're trying to maintain pace up an 8% slope. Brake-shifters are easy to reach, but shift only one or two gears at a time, and they simply aren't reliable in my book. Controversy level: 8
HUBS: This is one thing whose price is disproportionate to its size. Good hubs cost good money (see Phil Woods). Quick release is in theory not as strong, but it's rare to see bent hubs nowadays. The ease in pulling a wheel more than makes up for this. Thieves won't concern you if you have a 6-foot cable and properly lock your bike through the wheels. Controversy level: 2
SPOKES: Use only DT or Wheelsmith, both are equivalent and excellent. Up until 10 years ago, 99% of wheels were 3-cross, with an occasional extreme flex-when-under-heavy-stress 4-cross, and an odd 2-cross on a race track. 3-cross is perfectly adequate unless you're 275 lbs with a 48-spoke wheel. Controversy level: 2
TIRES: I mentioned in another post that I use Specialized Fatboys, 26"x1.25" at 100psi, while touring. There are true believers for other choices. Controversy level: 10
RIMS: I think you covered this in another post....
TUBES: I use 24"x1 3/8" tubes for the Fatboys. It's a skinny tire, and 26" tubes are tough to fit. The 24" tube saves a little weight and, being rubber 🙄 , fits nicely. True believer, here. The only real concern about Schrader vs. Presta is that a Presta rim is a bit stronger (smaller valve hole). In Europe, it's easier to find Presta; in the US, it's easier to find Schrader (think WalMart). It takes a bit less effort to pump up a Presta, but they're also easier to break. Controversy level: 5
BRAKES: V-brakes are more-or-less standard today (at least in MTB). Cantilever was standard about 10 years ago. Either are still available, and rugged enough for touring. My bike is a 1989 model with cantilevers, and they hold up well on screaming downhills with 250+ lbs of rider/bike/gear. I'm partial to cantilever, since that's what I've got...... One concern is that you have enough clearance for rack/fenders/whatever; both type of brakes are designed for clearance of fat tires when you have to pull the wheel. Controversy level: 4
BRAKE PADS: Kool-stop. Controversy level: 0 However, you might hear arguments on the best rubber compound. I bought up a stock of black pads, so that's what I use, but the red rubber is supposed to grab better -- not that I've ever had a problem, even in downhill rain. I suspect the red stuff is harder, but that might wear the wheel faster.
SADDLE: This is the most personal of personal preferences. Cyclists who've been around for decades swear by leather (Brooks) saddles, but even they admit that the break-in period might be long and painful. The best bet is a good gel seat (good= Avocet or Trico or Terry, not WalMart). There are many designs, look at women-only seats. What's perfect for one person might be hell for you.... You just gotta try 'em. Controversy level: 6
Anything else??? Good cycling shoes. These of course, depend on your pedal system. One reason I got used to platform pedals was because back then, clipless pedals meant you couldn't walk off the bike. That's not necessarily true now.... but my ATB shoes are designed for cycling, and serve off the bike for hikes and "fancy" restaurants.
Don't sweat all the choices for components. Go to some good bike shops and look over the components on all their medium-quality bikes (low-end isn't reliable, and high-end is a money pit). Stick to designs that are simple (e.g. shifters) and ubiquitous (e.g. freehubs) because it can be a long walk between bike shops when you're on the road. Don't spend extra money on high-end (e.g. titanium handlebars) when middle-quality is 100% serviceable. After all, you're touring, not racing for prizes.
The only thing that's reasonable to agonize over is the saddle. It might take 4 or 5 tries before you get the right one. Don't try to save weight here. If you find the perfect saddle that you can cycle for 10 hours straight in, and it weighs 10 lbs, don't hesitate, it was meant to be.
Have you browsed online catalogs (like Nashbar.com) for components? Check out what's out there and focus on the medium-priced stuff. Good luck.
-- Mark
