Santa Cruz Stigmata Gravel Bike - Five of Our Favorite Things

In a lot of ways, Northern California can lay claim to being the spiritual home of the gravel bike. Sure, that spirituality started in the 1970s with the advent of mountain bikes in the Marin Headlands among other places, but what modern gravel bike has become today - inching ever closer to the capability of a mountain bike with drop handlebars - is thanks to the demand for ever-ready bikes that can crest the array of fire roads, shred the descents, and push the limits of what they can ride. This leads us to the Santa Cruz Stigmata, the famous MTB brand's gravel bike that seems to be good at just about everything.

The Santa Cruz Stigmata is, plainly, a great gravel bike. Below are five of our favorite things about the Santa Cruz Stigmata and why you should choose it as your next gravel bike. 

Refined Handling

Sometimes it's good to fit in, and it's clear that Santa Cruz aimed to refine the Stigmata to the point that it fits in neatly into whatever riding it comes across. Between how the bike feels out on the road and its feature set, the Stigmata is built to feel at home in most situations.

Those coming from a road bike background will find familiarity in its direct, agile handling, while those coming from a mountain bike will find body positioning to be more comfortable than they might otherwise expect. Additionally, the Stigmata features a fairly relaxed fit with a tall stack and shorter reach across the size range. It's no longer purely a cyclocross bike as the previous Stigmata was, but something that looks to be approachable and familiar for those of all kinds of cycling backgrounds.

Santa Cruz has fully embraced their mountain bike background, moving away from the CM sizing on the previous Stigmata, and opting to do standard S-XXL sizing. This size range is a little more forgiving, and depending on what you are looking for in a Gravel bike a few of the sizes may work. If you are looking for something to race on, we would recommend sizing down, but if you are just looking for something to do adventure rides or tour on, we would advise you to stick true to size or even a little big. 

As Normal as It Gets

Refinement can be found not only in how the bike rides but the details too. A standard 27.2mm seatpost eschews any amount of propriety found in some other gravel bikes, while the BSA bottom bracket keeps things sturdy and reliable - a trend with the Stigmata. The chainstay gets a molded composite chainstay cover that wouldn't look out of place on the Blur. Additionally, the Stigmata uses a neat custom aluminum front derailleur clamp that can be easily removed for a clean, drill-free look. Santa Cruz also transitioned to a UDH system on this bike, allowing full compatibility with SRAM Transmission, because they know that no modern gravel bike shouldn’t be transmission-worthy. 

Unlike a lot of gravel bikes these days, Santa Cruz has opted to keep the cables routed externally, allowing for easy swapping of stems and handlebars so that each rider can find their perfect fit. They also added a Glovebox located on the downtube, for an extra storage space for whatever you need. They also spec the bike with either a suspension or rigid fork, allowing you to perfectly tailor the bike to your riding style. 

Tire Clearance Galore

One big change from the last Stigmata is getting rid of 650 tire compatibility. Instead, Santa Cruz beefed up the 700c clearance, allowing for a 700x50mm tire in a 1x configuration (2x can go up to 700x45mm). This gives each rider plenty of options for their preferred riding style, and where they use it. Those focused on speed can go for a 38mm tire, whereas those who are riding rough gravel and want a more comfortable ride are able to choose a 50mm tire. 

See? CC Carbon Makes a Difference

Santa Cruz doesn't list a frame or fork weight for the Santa Cruz Stigmata. Santa Cruz isn't known for building particularly lightweight bikes either. That doesn’t mean they don’t focus on performance though. The CC frame emphasizes quality manufacturing, good power transfer, and compliance so you remain fast and comfortable during your rides. 

Reserve Wheels

On the two Force AXS builds, Santa Cruz features the Reserve 25 Gravel wheels. These wheels have a wide 25mm internal rim width, enabling you to run up to a 50mm tire without having a ballooned tire profile. The wheels do not provide an aero advantage, but with Reserve’s comprehensive line it is easy to find other options for something a little more aero. Many people use the Reserve 34/37 or the 40/44 for a little deeper option, as they both still have a 25mm internal width. 

 We have the Santa Cruz Stigmata in stock now at Contender Bicycles. Want to learn more? Find us in store, by phone, or by email at [email protected].