Santa Cruz Rival-Kit 23 | CC

Description

Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival-Kit 23 Carbon Gravel Bike

Introduction

A 1x drivetrain strips gravel riding down to its essentials one chainring, one shift lever, nothing to overthink mid-ride. The Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival-Kit 23 builds around that simplicity. It pairs the Carbon CC Stigmata frame with a mechanical SRAM Rival 1 groupset, a single 40T chainring, and an 11-speed, 10-42T cassette wide enough to handle real climbing without a second chainring to manage. It’s a rigid build, no suspension fork or dropper post, keeping weight down and the ride feel direct. Hydraulic disc brakes with 160mm rotors give consistent stopping power regardless of weather, and Maxxis Ravager tyres at 700x40c balance rolling speed with enough grip for mixed gravel surfaces. Road-style centimeter sizing (52 through 60) suits a rider more familiar with traditional road bike fit than S-XL mountain-style sizing.

Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival Product Overview

This build brings a 1x mechanical drivetrain to the Stigmata’s Carbon CC frame, offering a simpler alternative to the 2x builds found elsewhere in the range. A single chainring means one less thing to shift, which matters for riders who prefer straightforward gear logic over the finer steps a 2x setup provides.

Like the Force and GRX builds, this is a rigid frame and fork setup, without the suspension travel or dropper post found on the RF-1x AXS Stigmata model, keeping the focus on efficient, direct-feeling gravel riding.

Features and Benefits of Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival

1x SRAM Rival mechanical drivetrain
A SRAM Rival 1 long-cage rear derailleur pairs with a single 40T DUB Wide crank and an 11-speed, 10-42T XG1150 cassette. That’s a wide enough spread to handle sustained climbs without needing a front derailleur, simplifying maintenance and shifting decisions on rough terrain.

Mechanical hydraulic braking
Rival 22 HRD shifters combine mechanical shifting with hydraulic disc braking in one lever, giving strong, consistent stopping power without the added cost or complexity of a fully electronic groupset.

Rigid frame and fork
No suspension travel and no dropper post keep the build lighter and the ride feel direct, suited to a rider who prioritizes efficient rolling over rough-terrain absorption.

WTB and DT Swiss wheelset
WTB EZR i23p rims on DT Swiss 370 hubs give a durable, dependable wheel package suited to regular gravel riding and racing, without the added cost of a premium carbon rim.

Grippy, versatile tyres
Maxxis Ravager tyres at 700x40c with EXO protection balance rolling speed on hardpack with enough tread for looser gravel and mixed surfaces, plus added puncture resistance for long or remote rides.

Technical Specifications

This spec sheet does not list a fork. That detail should be confirmed before the page goes live, since it’s a component customers will reasonably expect to see specified.

Applications and Industries

1) Gravel racing and long-distance mixed-terrain riding with simplified 1x shifting

2) Riders who prefer mechanical drivetrains over wireless electronic systems

3) Steep, sustained climbing routes, aided by the wide 10-42T cassette range

4) Riders coming from road cycling who want familiar centimeter sizing

5) Budget-conscious riders wanting the Stigmata’s Carbon CC frame at a more accessible groupset tier

Why Choose This Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival-Kit 23

A 1x drivetrain isn’t about doing less, it’s about removing decisions a rider doesn’t need mid-ride. One chainring and a wide-range 10-42T cassette cover steep climbs and fast flat sections without ever needing to think about a front derailleur. SRAM’s Rival 1 groupset combines mechanical shifting with hydraulic braking in a single, reliable, field-serviceable package, and the rigid Carbon CC frame keeps weight reasonable without the added cost of suspension or a dropper post. For a rider who wants simple, dependable gravel performance on a genuinely capable frame, this build delivers exactly that.

Quality Standards

Santa Cruz builds the Stigmata’s Carbon CC frame to the same engineering standards applied across every build kit in the range, so this Rival-Kit build shares its core frame quality with the higher-tier AXS and GRX builds.

Packaging Options

Bikes typically ship partially assembled in protective packaging, with final assembly (front wheel, handlebar alignment, brake bleeding, derailleur adjustment) completed by a dealer or a qualified home mechanic.

Shipping and Export Information

Shipping timelines and export documentation vary by destination and order volume. Customers ordering internationally or in bulk should confirm current lead times and freight options directly with YM Racing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this bike use a 1x drivetrain instead of 2x?
A single chainring simplifies shifting and removes the front derailleur from the equation, which many riders prefer for gravel terrain where consistent, straightforward gear changes matter more than very fine gear steps.

Is this drivetrain mechanical or electronic?
Mechanical. It uses cable-actuated SRAM Rival 1 shifting combined with hydraulic disc brakes in the Rival 22 HRD lever.

Does this bike have a suspension fork?
The spec sheet provided doesn’t list a fork; this should be confirmed directly, as this build is expected to be rigid in line with other Stigmata mechanical builds.

What’s the gear range on this bike?
A single 40T chainring paired with a 10-42T, 11-speed cassette, giving a wide enough range for climbing without a second chainring.

What tyres does it come with?
Maxxis Ravager 700x40c tyres with EXO puncture protection, front and rear.

How is sizing structured on this bike?
Road-style centimeter sizing (52, 54, 56, 58, 60cm), consistent with the Force and GRX Stigmata builds.

What colours are available?
Gloss Brut and Gloss Lavender.

What brakes does it use?
Hydraulic disc brakes with Avid Centerline 160mm rotors, front and rear.

Is this a good choice for gravel racing?
Yes. The wide-range 1x drivetrain and rigid frame suit efficient, race-oriented gravel riding, particularly for routes with significant climbing.

Is assembly required after delivery?
Yes. Bikes ship partly assembled, and final setup, including brake bleeding and derailleur adjustment, should be completed by a shop or a qualified home mechanic.

Conclusion

The Santa Cruz Stigmata Rival-Kit 23 strips gravel riding down to a simpler, more dependable formula one chainring, a wide-range cassette, and mechanical shifting that’s easy to maintain and trust on long, remote rides. Paired with the same Carbon CC frame used across the Stigmata range, it’s a genuinely capable gravel racer for a rider who’d rather focus on riding than managing an electronic drivetrain.