dvdslw

I'm diving back into the gravel scene after a few months off and selling my Salsa Warbird. The Warbird was a great bike that I had built up with Utegra di2 and some new Zipp 303s wheels but I always felt that the frame was a bitt too relaxed and had a pretty bad bounce on washboard roads or under hard pedallling that I didn't like. After a lot of careful consideration and tons of research I landed on the 2022 Santa Cruz Stigmata that appears to have evreything I want in a gravel bike. Hoping to hear from other Stigmata owners here about componenets, cockpit, wheels, tires/max tires you have fit, etc... What do you like or dislike about the bike?

Picture shows a complete bike in the color I chose but I purchesed a bare frameset to build up my way. So far I have a pair of Force AXS shifters, a Force crankset, and a Wolftooth 40T chainring. Looks like I'll be doing a 1x AXS drivetrain with their new 10-44 Force cassette and Force XPLR rear derailleur.

KJ43

I ride a 2020 Stigmata. I rode mountain bikes exclusively for over 25 years and wanted a "road bike for mountain bikers".

The groupset is Shimano GRX - 2x (48/31 front - 11 - 34 cassette).

I changed the following to dial it in to my preference

• Seat: Selle Italia SLS Flow
• Bars: Easton EC70 AX Handlebar Carbon, 44cm
• Seat post: Ritchey WCS Carbon
• Stem: Ritchey WCS 100mm
• Wheelset: Light Bicycle Falcon Pro - WR38 Disc - 24H - Hooked Tubeless, DT SWISS 240 hubs with EXP 54, Sapim CX Ray spokes - quoted weight 1428g
• Tires: Specialized Pathfinder Pro 2bliss - 38mm

My bike rides like a dream and its one of my favorite bikes I've ever owned. On the road it is fast and comfortable whether I'm out for a quick 20 mile ride or longer rides between 50 - 80 miles. On dirt I'll ride anything from gravel fire roads up to semi-technical single track. It does have a pretty quick front end and there is toe overlap if that is an issue for you.

dvdslw

Sweet ride, Nice Build!!!

One of the reasons I was so attracted to the Stigmata was the fact that a lot of people who own them say the same thing, they love it or best bike ever. There's also several people out there that own several of them for themselves or the whole family is riding them and that says a lot. I have heard that toe overlap is an issue on some of the smaller frames, not sure if or how it wil affect me but for the type of riding I plan to do I don't see it being an issue either way. I'm also on the 60cm frame so that moves my bb almost 25mm further away compared to that of a 56cm frame which should help. (according to bicycle insights geo comarison).

Parkyy16

Don't have the bike personally, but I did test ride sometime last year. I'm 5'9", but due to stock issues, I test rode the 56cm instead of the 54cm that I should be on. On flat pedals, I had a very slight toe overlap on the 56cm. I assume people normally riding around on the 56cm would have some toe overlap as well.

The ride was good, just like any other good carbon frames. Light, vibration dampening, stiff, etc. Felt like an endurance road bike, but with bigger, cushier tires. The geo charts reflect that pretty well.

I don't know what size Warbird you had, but the geometry differences between the Stigmata and the Warbird boils down to chain stay length and HT angle. At least in the size I assume you had for the Warbird.

The slacker HT angle on the warbird would have improved the handling on the rough stuff. You will likely be bouncier on the Stigmata. Reach and Stack is pretty similar between the 59cm Warbird and the 60cm Stigmata(with same BB drop), the biggest difference is that the wheelbase of the Stigmata is shorter by around 15mm: 5mm from the rear(shorter CS), around 10mm from the front(HT angle).

I did enjoy the short test ride, I'm sure it'll be a fantastic bike.

KJ43

I'm 6ft, 32 inch inseam. I went with standover height when selecting the frame size and I went with the 56cm size instead of 58cm because on the 56 I just barely had clearance when straddling the top tube.

Toe overlap is not an issue for me as good pedaling technique pretty much negates it. I'll ride up and down singletrack switchbacks without issue. The Stigmata was originally more of a CX bike I understand and around 2020 they stretched them out a bit. It's super nimble on trails, stable when railing fast road descents and comfortable when you just need to sit and pedal for hours.

dvdslw

Frameset arrived today and looks much better in person, can't wait to build this beauty up!

tdilf

Can't say that is my favorite color but have always liked the Stigmata - but have never had one.
Please post when it is done (here or on mtbr).

Jazzguitar

Over the last year my Stigmata has become my no.1 bike of all time. I swap wheelsets and can ride everything from a fast group ride to single track. Absolutely a quiver killer bike for me. I built mine up from a frameset since nothing else was available, GRX Di2 has been amazing, I'll never go back to mechanical.

dvdslw

Will do, and I agree with the color, gold would never be my 1st choice but out of the two colors SC is offering for 2022, its the best option this year. Here's the other color

tdilf

That would have been a close call for me on color choice. My favorite color was the moonstone blue with white lettering.

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mstateglfr 

The SRAM wireless FD is hideous and ruins it. That is seriously all my eye is drawn to. Lavender frame?...all day. Comically giganto FD?...hard pass.

dvdslw

I would have lived that color, or the dark green from last year too.