Santa Cruz has updated its Stigmata gravel bike, with a new, more progressive geometry borrowed from its mountain bike range.
That means a slacker head tube with a 69.5-degree angle across the full S to XXL size range, down from the previous bike’s 71 to 72 degrees.
Reach has increased by a substantial 30mm over the previous model too, with Santa Cruz speccing shorter 70mm-long stems to compensate. That has led to an increase in wheelbase, up from the previous bike’s 1,009mm to 1,053mm, to between 1,043mm and 1,130mm across the size range.
Another change is a shorter head tube paired to a rigid fork with a higher crown, so that it can be swapped out for a 40mm-travel suspension fork without affecting the geometry. That will be music to the ears of some of our off-road riding colleagues.
All of this is designed to make the Stigmata more capable off-road.
There’s clearance for 50mm tyres on 700c gravel wheels, up from 45mm. The frame is compatible with a 27.2mm dropper post and uses the Universal Derailleur Hanger for compatibility and easier spares.
Santa Cruz says it has stuck to external cables for the cockpit so the bike can take a standard IS tapered headset. That means there's no tricky routing to deal with when it comes time for a replacement.
Likewise, there’s a threaded bottom bracket shell in the CC carbon fibre frame. Santa Cruz’s bottom line is the Stigmata is “easy to work on, easy to find parts for, built to last”.
Santa Cruz Stigmata geometry
| Size | Reach | Stack | Head tube angle | Head tube length | Seat tube angle | Seat tube length | Rear centre | Front centre | BB height | BB drop | Wheelbase | Top tube length | Stand-over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 390 | 564 | 69.5 | 105 | 74 | 455 | 430 | 625 | 278.5 | 78 | 1,043 | 552 | 728 |
| M | 405 | 576 | 69.5 | 120 | 74 | 485 | 430 | 645 | 280.5 | 76 | 1,063 | 570 | 753 |
| L | 420 | 600 | 69.5 | 145 | 74 | 515 | 430 | 668 | 280.5 | 76 | 1,087 | 592 | 778 |
| XL | 435 | 612 | 69.5 | 160 | 74 | 545 | 430 | 688 | 282.5 | 74 | 1,108 | 610 | 804 |
| XXL | 450 | 631 | 69.5 | 180 | 74 | 575 | 430 | 710 | 282.5 | 74 | 1,130 | 631 | 830 |
All lengths in mm and angles in degrees
Santa Cruz Stigmata: who’s it for?
Santa Cruz points out that gravel riding has diversified, with everything from all-road riding and gravel racing through bikepacking to quasi-MTB being tackled on gravel bikes.
The brand's aim was to make the new Stigmata a bike that can be configured for the whole spectrum of uses. Showing its gravel racing palmares, Keegan Swenson won Unbound 2023 on the new Stigmata.
The standard build kits include both 1x and 2x iterations and there’s a suspension fork/dropper post option.
There’s a new cubbyhole in the Stigmata’s down tube for your bits and pieces, a waterproof or survival rations. Extra mounts are limited to those for mudguards and three bottle cages, with Santa Cruz saying it has aimed to keep the look of the frame clean and boss-free.
Santa Cruz Stigmata build options and prices
Santa Cruz will offer the new Stigmata with five build kit options. All have SRAM 12-speed groupsets, starting off with the latest Apex 1 mechanical, with 1x and 2x Rival AXS and Force AXS as higher-spec options.
The Force AXS 1x RSV build has a Rockshox Rudy Ultimate 40mm-travel fork and Rockshox Reverb AXS XPLR 75mm-travel dropper post; all the other builds get a standard rigid fork and seatpost. There’s one colour on offer: 'brick red'.
Santa Cruz Stigmata Apex 1x
- Fork: Santa Cruz carbon rigid
- Groupset: SRAM Apex 1
- Wheels: WTB EZR i23 on DT Swiss 370 hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler EXO 700x45c
- RRP: £3,899
Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival AXS 1x
- Fork: Santa Cruz carbon rigid
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS XPLR 1x
- Wheels: Easton ARC Offset 25 on DT Swiss 370 hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler EXO 700x45c
- RRP: £4,899
Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival AXS 2x
- Fork: Santa Cruz carbon rigid
- Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS Wide 2x
- Wheels: Easton ARC Offset 25 on DT Swiss 370 hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler EXO 700x45c
- RRP: £4,999
Santa Cruz Stigmata Force AXS 1x RSV
- Fork: Rockshox Rudy Ultimate, 40mm
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS XPLR 1x
- Wheels: Reserve 25|GR/ on DT Swiss 350 hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler EXO 700x45c
- RRP: £6,999
Santa Cruz Stigmata Force AXS 2x RSV
- Fork: Santa Cruz carbon rigid
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS Wide 2x
- Wheels: Reserve 25|GR on DT Swiss 350 hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler EXO 700x45c
- RRP: £6,599
