some new gloves are definitely on my list. The ones I have aren't too bad, but I wouldn't call them 'nice'.

I have tried flipping my stem upside down, it didn't help much. My handlebars now sit at the most an inch lower than my saddle. If I raise it much more I'll look like I'm riding a beach cruiser, but I suppose it's
worth a try. How does the 'reach' or stem length affect weight distribution from hands to butt?
I have pretty good upper body strength, I rock climb and do regular push ups, pull ups, and 'core' exercises on one of those big balls. I have pretty poor flexibility though, and always have since childhood. That's
probably made worse from years of running.