Santa Cruz’s Stigmata has arrived at BikeRadar for testing and the brand’s latest itertion of its gravel bike takes more than a few cues from its mountain bike models.
The bike’s geometry has become more progressive, with all models sporting a slackened 69.5-degree head tube angle, down from the 71 to 72-degree range of its predecessor.
Reach has increased by 30mm across all sizes, with shorter 70mm stems specced on all models to compensate.
Let’s take a closer look at this genre-blurring bike.
A top-tier frame with sensible spec choices
This new fourth-generation Stigmata is only available in the brand’s premium CC carbon fibre – there is no more cost-effective C option, which the brand offers on some of its mountain bikes.
The bike inherits the Santa Cruz Glovebox down-tube storage system, in which you can stow your snacks and tools.
It ignores the trend towards integration, with Santa Cruz opting to route the hydraulic hoses externally from the handlebar before they are fed internally through a pair of down tube ports.
Santa Cruz claims it designed the bike in this way so you can easily fit a gravel suspension fork.
The Stigmata uses a SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger, bringing compatibility with the brand’s T-Type Eagle Transmission drivetrains.
There’s clearance for up to 50mm-wide gravel bike tyres when using 700c wheels in a 1x configuration, and 45mm with mudguards.
The clearance drops to 45mm if you’re using a 2x drivetrain with 700c wheels. Santa Cruz says it doesn’t recommend the use of 27.5in wheels.
With a 2x drivetrain, Santa Cruz says you need to run an electronic front derailleur, or use one of the following Shimano mechanical options – R7000, R7100, R8000, R9000 or R9100.
The Stigmata also won’t work with a SRAM mechanical front derailleur due to the lack of an integrated housing stop.
The frame uses a 27.2mm seatpost diameter. The Force AXS Reserve 1x model we have in uses a dropper post, whereas all other models are rigid.
Other details of note include a BSA 68mm threaded bottom bracket standard and low-profile mudguard mounts.
A SRAM-heavy build
This Force AXS Reserve 1x model sits at the top of the range, retailing for £6,999 / $7,699.
However, you can own a Stigmata for £3,899 / $3,999 with an Apex Eagle build, with SRAM Rival eTap AXS options sandwiched in between. A frame-only retails for £2,499 / $2,699.
This model is equipped with a RockShox Rudy Ultimate suspension fork, which delivers 40mm of bump-taming travel. The only other fork Santa Cruz recommends using with the Stigmata is a Fox 32 TaperCast.
As the model name suggests, the bike has a SRAM Force AXS groupset. This is the brand’s latest second-tier electronic groupset and Santa Cruz has specced a 40t crankset, paired with a 10-44t cassette.
Keeping things in the SRAM family are the aluminium Zipp Service Course SL-70 XPLR handlebar, the 70mm Service Course stem and the wireless RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR dropper post.
On wheel duties are Reserve, Santa Cruz’s in-house brand.
The 18mm-deep Reserve 25/GR carbon rims have a generous 25mm internal rim width and feature a mini-hooked design, which the brand says makes setting up a tubeless tyre easier.
They’re laced to DT Swiss 350 hubs and fitted with 45mm-wide Maxxis Rambler tyres.
Our size-large test bike, in ‘Matte Brick Red’, weighs 9.61kg on the BikeRadar Scales of Truth.
