Chassis geometry: fork height, ride height and what they do

Geometry is the balance between agility and stability. Two small adjustments move it a long way - change one at a time and feel it.

Front: fork height in the clamps

Sliding the forks UP through the triple clamps (more tube showing above the top clamp) lowers the front, steepens the steering and quickens turn-in - at the cost of some high-speed stability. Lowering the front in the clamps does the opposite: lazier steering, more stability. Move in small steps (a few mm) and keep both legs equal.

Rear: ride height / shock length

Raising the rear (more ride height or a longer shock link/length) also steepens the steering and quickens turn-in, and adds weight to the front for grip. Lowering the rear calms the steering and stabilises the bike. Front and rear changes stack, so a small change at each end is a big change overall.

Sag sets the starting point

Before touching geometry, set sag correctly front and rear - geometry numbers only mean something from a known sag. If the bike both understeers AND feels unstable, suspect sag balance before geometry.

Reading the bike

Won't turn / runs wide: raise the rear or drop the front. Nervous / headshake: lower the rear or raise the front, and check whether preload has left the rear sitting too high. One change, same corner, notes after each. Setup is a starting point, never a safety guarantee.