So, on the SPM I got a replacement tiller (courtesy otp) which allowed me to fit different bars (courtesy otp) which are more comfortable than the bar/stem combo I had (which I am sure are better for racing, but tilt your wrists down instead of up).
New setup is better ergonomically on the wrists and the arms are (I think) more neutral in position.
Unfortunately the new stem has a max extension of about a cm less than I would like with those bars, which gives them some knee interface. I have swapped out for some north road bars, fitted mustache style that curve over the knee. It's functional, but the aesthetic is all wrong (which is obviously the key think with laidback ...) and the wider bar position means that I might as well have superman bars (it could be me, but it also feels twichier).
What solutions do I have? I could try yet another bar type, go full on superman, drop crank length by a few cms which should then mean I can extend the boom by a couple cm and reduce knee bash ... anything else spring to mind? Which would be the cheapest option (seeing as I need to keep my kids in bikes too)?