First Look: 2015 Santa Cruz Stigmata Cyclocross Bike

Santa Cruz carbon Stigmata cyclocross bike. © Cyclocross Magazine

The last time we reviewed a Santa Cruz Stigmata, we were releasing our first print issue, and the bike was build from an alloy frame. Santa Cruz admits on their website that they've done things a little backwards, starting off their carbon focus on their mountain and downhill bikes before venturing into the world of carbon fiber cyclocross bikes.

Both then and now, Stigmata is a curious name for a cyclocross bike, with two definitions. The first is the plural of stigma, which is a mark or tattoo usually having a connotation of disgrace, and the second is the Roman Catholic tradition of bearing crucifixion wounds either physically or mentally. If it's the former, Santa Cruz may have thought they designed a bike containing virtues disguised as stigmas.

Today, we take a First Look at the 2015 Santa Cruz Stigmata that is currently in review.

The Frame:

A perfect example of this once-imagined stigma is in the geometry of the frame. Back in 2009, we called out Santa Cruz as one of the few companies offering a bike with a low bottom bracket. The geometry of the current bike continues the previous alloy Stigmata's winning geometry, which is rumored to have been inspired by local Santa Cruz frame builder legend Paul Sadoff.

This geometry is pretty mainstream nowadays, with our 56cm model measuring a 56cm top tube, 42.5cm chainstays, 69mm bottom bracket drop, a 72 head angle and a 73.5 seat angle. The frame and fork are designed for thru axles front and rear: 15mm x 100mm in the front and 12mm x 142mm in the rear. The bottom bracket accommodates a PF30.

One item that instantly caught our attention was the massive tire clearance, which you can both examine in our photos, and look at some of the further details in our build section.

Santa Cruz is offering a frame only option, with an MSRP of $2299.

The Build:

Our test bike is built up race-ready, with a Zipp Service Course SL cockpit and seatpost alongside a SRAM CX1 drivetrain and SRAM's HydroR brakes. The front chainring is a full 42t and the bike comes with a 11-36t rear cassette: A combination sensible for mixed terrain adventures. We did note that the b screw on the CX1 rear derailleur needed to be all the way in just to clear the 36t cog, however.

The narrow Maxxis Mud Wrestler, listed at 33c, may help you jump into a UCI cyclocross race, if that's your thing, but it feels too narrow for any serious adventures. After taking a look at the generous tire clearances on the frame, we decided to push the limits and throw in some of our own on the bike. We were able to fit in a Specialized Renengade 29x1.8 tire in the front and a WTB Nano TCS 40c tire, both with room to spare (you can see the results in the slider below).

The bike comes with WTB Asym i19 rims, which are tubeless compatible and come with tubeless tape pre-installed. The Stigmata comes with valve cores and NoTubes sealant. While the WTB Asym i19 rims with DT Swiss 350 hubs are the standard option for the full build of $4699, ENVE rims also available, which increases the full build price to $6699 with the same CX1 drivetrain.

The weight of the bike comes out to 17.75 pounds, with an impressive 10.35 pounds without wheels. Santa Cruz also released a promotional video on YouTube as we posted below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLbt-Nu1jyk

For more details, including specs and photos, be sure to scroll through the slider below as well as visit santacruzbicycles.com.