I feel like I have a lot of weight in my upper body, particularly on my left side. Compared to many of you, I can clearly feel that I need to lean forward to weigh my front wheel much less. I only "need" a short cockpit to otherwise weigh the front end the same amount.

It is a combination of those different factors. My back gets sore, I feel too much weight in my wrists (only if my stem is substationally lower than it is now), and worrying about the front tire slipping prematurely, yes.

The biggest reason here really, is that it becomes difficult for me to subconciously keep my weight off the saddle/ bars and into the cranks the entire time I am riding. When I am mindful of the way my weight is biased, I can definetly ride with a lower handlebar, although nothing significant.

I will begin to gradually lower my stem and focus on keeping weight off the wrists.

As I have said before, while my riding position may look very cruiser ish, that's not the way I feel or handle on this bike, at all. Leaning forward, such as during a climb or when sprinting quickly gives me enough leverage over the cranks to active my posterior chain