For many mountain bikers, the name Santa Cruz is synonymous with casual sports equipment from the premium segment. Soulful advertising campaigns characterise the image, and the Californian label has become an integral part of the Downhill World Cup. So it's no wonder that you see a lot of Santa Cruz bikes on the trails and in the bike parks of this world. The Stigmata with suspension fork has just half as much suspension travel as the company's first bike from 1994 and is advertised as an "off-road speed bike". The gravel bike inherits proven features from its mountain bike siblings, such as a super-functioning storage compartment, high service friendliness and an excellently finished frame with a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately, this also applies to the steep price, in the light of which the functional but sober equipment package radiates little glamour.
Quality has its price
As with Pivot, customers have to pay an extra euro or two for an optimised carbon frame with a good reputation. There is space for three bottle cages and mudguards on the Stigmata. Otherwise, the American bike has to make do without any other mounting points. Thanks to the XXL size also available, Santa Cruz also offers a suitable option for taller riders. Even the geometry table shows that the Santa developers are mountain bike fans. They combine the longest reach in the test with a compact head tube to create a stretched riding position. We recommend that touring riders who don't ride in attack mode all the time should jack up the cockpit. Then the ergonomics fit surprisingly well on long rides. A slim carbon seatpost and a padded saddle increase comfort. A 42-tooth chainring keeps up even on fast rides, and the large MTB cassette helps out with a creeper gear when the lactate shoots into your legs.
Tough despite suspension fork
Once the Stigmata is up to speed, it is almost unstoppable. The bike moves forward in a calm and purposeful manner. In addition to the large wheelbase, the 69 degree steering angle is responsible for the smooth ride. The moderate chainstay length makes it easy to push the front wheel up the kerb, but the Stigmata doesn't really have much playfulness. Compared to the significantly shorter and steeper competitors from Radon and Alutech, it rides like it's on rails through the terrain. Despite the short stem, the steering behaviour is noticeably slower and the controlled bike needs courageous manoeuvres to actively scurry between obstacles. Stay cool, hold on and ride over it: That's how the Santa Cruz works best. The Rockshox Rudy Base reliably absorbs big hits, but is less sensitive to small bumps. On a variety of trails, the simple suspension fork offers hardly any advantage that could not be achieved more cost-effectively with even wider tubeless tyres. On the contrary: the fork cannot be locked out and bobs when pedalling.
The fact that the overall weight remains in the green zone is a big plus for both the uphill verve and the downhill handling. The Stigmata is the only bike with a suspension fork to undercut the magic ten-kilo mark. In addition to the lightweight chassis and rigid seatpost, this is thanks to the wheels, which, despite the aluminium rims, land on the same scale as the carbon models on the Giant and Marin. Santa Cruz thus manages to combine geometry and suspension reserves with a sporty, lightweight character - a concept with potential! At the latest when gravel bikers are ready to spend even more money, they will find a first-class bike in the Stigmata.
Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival 1X Rudy AXS: Price, geometry, features, measured values, pros and cons
- Price: 5299 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 9.8 kilos
- Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Geometry
- STR/STR+: 1,45/1,16
- Stack+/Reach+: 678/587 mm
Equipment
- Fork: Rockshox Rudy Base, 40 mm
- Drive/gear shift: SRAM Rival 1 / GX AXS Transmission (1x12; 42, 10-52 t.)
- Brakes: SRAM Rival (160/160 mm)
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler Exo Protection TR 45 mm (eff.: 46 mm)
- Impellers: Easton ARC Offset 25/DT Swiss 370
Measured values
- Weight of complete wheel: 9780 g
- Weight of wheels: 3803 g
- Impeller inertia: 2439 kg x cm²
Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival 1X Rudy AXS: Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
lightweight, beautifully finished frame with lifetime warranty, very smooth running, comfortable riding position
Disadvantages
Low play instinct, unadorned equipment
Jan Timmermann
Editor
