Lowering the front forks

[BentAero]

....reminded me.... it was impossible for me to set sag on this bike.... frustrated the piss out of me. 3 lines seemed rock hard to me. Reverted to near factory settings where I was most content at the end of last season. I might need new springs, but I think the best course of action is to plan for a new set of legs for next season. I humbly submit.

If your spring rates are not correct for your weight, you will not be able to get rider sag correct.    Adding preload does not change spring rate. Adding preload extends the suspension / raises the bike until the forks or shock are maxed out in extension. If you keep adding preload from that point, you are increasing the amount of force needed to get the springs to start compressing, but once moving in the compression direction, the spring rate is still too low. This may be why you feel the spring is too stiff, but still bottoms out.  
 

Sure wish I had read all the posts in this thread before I posted. Ha! @xlxr had already written the same thing I did.

[xlxr]

"If your spring rates are not correct for your weight, you will not be able to get rider sag correct."
 
Let me clarify that statement which I made a few posts earlier. If your spring rate is to light, you can get correct rider sag when sitting on the bike in the garage, statically, but as soon as you hit a big bump your forks or shocks will just blow through compression travel. If your spring light is too heavy, you may get static rider sag correct, but when you ride, the spring will not compress as much as it should. This is why you should also check bike sag, bike weight without rider weight. If you set rider sag, 1/3 to 1/4 total travel, but get too much bike sag, your spring is too soft. If you get too little rider sag, your spring is too hard.
 
The problem with progressive rate springs is that you have to get the initial rate, final rate, and the transition zone (in fork travel) between the two primary rates correct. Straight rate springs only need one rate correct.