Santa Cruz Stigmata Force-1x AXS RSV
£6,999 Premium mountain bike-inspired graveller
Weight 9.61kg (XL) Frame Carbon CC Fork RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR, 40mm travel Gears SRAM Force XPLR AXS, 12-speed (40t, 10-44t) Brakes SRAM Force XPLR, 160mm rotors Wheels Reserve 25|GR 700c on DT
Swiss 350 hubs Finishing kit RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR seatpost 75mm drop, WTB Silverado Ti saddle, Zipp Service Course stem, Zipp Service
Course SL-70 XPLR bar, Maxxis Rambler DC EXO TR 700x45c tyres
Santa Cruz says the new Stigmata blurs the line between a drop-bar singletrack bike and race-winning gravel steed. This represents a change from previous generations, which gave a nod towards cyclocross rather than pure gravel. This latest frame has mountain bike-inspired progressive geometry and builds that favour both lightweight racing and technical challenges. Our model’s off-road focus, with suspension fork and dropper post, means it aims to be at home on trails and quick on wide-open gravel too.
The Stigmata’s carbon frame, now in its fourth generation, eschews some of the features you’ll find on lots of its competition. Notably, there’s no complex internal routing like you’ll find on the Canyon Grail, Merida Silex and Orbea Terra, and it has just three sets of bottle bosses (one on the underside of the down-tube) plus mudguard mounts. The frame also features a down-tube compartment, like the Orbea and Canyon. This ‘Glovebox’ offers similarly generous storage for tools, pump, etc, with a tool wallet and tube purse supplied. At the rear dropout is a UDH (universal derailleur hanger), meaning you could fit a mountain bike SRAM T-Type rear mech for a mullet build. Tyre clearance is 50mm with a 1x drivetrain and 45mm in 2x.
The Stigmata’s geometry combines a relaxed 69.5° head angle with a steep 74° seat tube angle (XL) and a long 435mm reach with a 612mm stack, designed around a shorter 70mm stem. With a longish 1,108mm wheelbase yet a short 423mm chainstay, the Stigmata is designed to centre the rider’s weight, to aid stability in the rougher stuff.
Quality kit
The Stigmata is available in five builds; the other four have a lightweight carbon fork and standard seatpost. Our Force-1x AXS RSV test model is the priciest in the range, although represents reasonable value, and boasts the highest specification for a 1x set-up. For a shade under £7,000, it features a SRAM Force AXS XPLR wireless groupset with a 40-tooth chainring paired with a 10-44 cassette.
Up front, RockShox’s premium Rudy Ultimate XPLR suspension fork with 40mm of travel is matched by the brand’s wireless Reverb XPLR dropper post. The high-grade build continues with the wheelset, which comes from Santa Cruz’s sister brand Reserve with its 25/
GR model. The stiff hooked carbon rim is just 18mm deep but with a broad 25mm internal width. These are built onto DT Swiss’s renowned 350 hubs and weigh in at just 1,360g a pair. The Maxxis’ Rambler tyres have a broad 45c width, and are set up tubeless.
Zipp’s gravel-specific alloy SL-70 XPLR drop bar features a short 70mm reach and shallow 110mm drop. The drops are 6cm wider than the hoods thanks to a smart design that gives you flare but keeps the levers relatively upright.
This Stigmata is a brilliant companion for gravel riding. The suspension fork, generous-volume tyres and dropper post all take the sting out of vibration-inducing rough surfaces. That said, when I locked out the fork and fully extended the dropper post, I could feel the Stigmata has a seriously stiff chassis – in fact, I’m not sure I’d like it quite as much as I do if it didn’t have suspension. This stiffness is compounded by the Reserve wheels, which previous testing has exposed as super-stiff.
Tough love
The handling is sublime. On faster gravel roads it’s swift, but when you hit more technical dirt the Stigmata takes it all in its stride. Like its similarly MTB-inspired rival, the GT Grade, it makes most sense when the going gets tough. Steering responses are quick yet very stable, and I was more than happy throwing the Stigmata into downhill singletrack trails on which lesser bikes would have come undone. The cockpit is well shaped and the use of a short stem with that slackened head angle keeps the steering lively.
The Force AXS drivetrain is impressive too – shifts are fast and accurate and the chain never bounced off. Using the twin shift triggers to activate the wireless Reverb dropper becomes second nature quite quickly, and I like that dropping the saddle just a centimetre or so makes it act like a pseudo suspension seatpost, effectively taking the edge off the back wheel slamming into edges, roots, holes or rocks.
Maxxis’ chunky 45mm Rambler tyres are an excellent choice for the stodgy, sticky and sometimes slimy conditions of early spring in the UK. The knobs bite with real tenacity in loose, damp corners and they offer ample grip when climbing off-road on damp surfaces. As an all-round off-road option for changeable conditions, there’s very little that can match the se tyres’ capabilities
The obvious but acceptable downside is that the Stigmata isn’t as rapid on tarmac or princess gravel, but the overall ride quality of this model is hard to fault.
Verdict In this ultimate specification, the Santa Cruz Stigmata is an ultimate offroad performer
“On faster gravel roads it’s swift, but when you hit more technical dirt, the Stigmata takes it all in its stride”