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Pro Bike Check: Tobin Ortenblad’s shiny new custom painted Santa Cruz Stigmata CC

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check
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santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

Tobin Ortenblad is on a streak, winning the last 11 races he’s entered. That’s put him 2nd overall in pro points for USA Cycling and 26th for UCI worldwide. To celebrate, his mechanic and coach, Chris McGovern, called in a lot of favors to piece together an all new bike complete with custom paint…all in about a 10 day span. On the flight into Connecticut, he couldn’t keep it a secret any longer (especially with Tobin wondering why Chris had packed a bike for himself…ain’t no pro mechanic got time for that!), so he showed him a pic on his phone.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

Chris also builds frames and will be exhibiting at NAHBS again this year (check out last year’s show bikes here). He used his painter, Eric Dungey of Color Palette Works in Eugene, OR, to rush this custom paint job.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

The bike is a size 58 Santa Cruz Stigmata CC, their top level carbon frame, and all parts save for the pedals are production level goods you or I could buy. Drivetrain is SRAM Force 1 with a nearly standard range cassette.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

The “race day only” (that warning coming directly from Crank Brothers) Candy pedals use titanium wings and spindle like the “11” level pedals, but with the full plastic body from the “1”. Claimed weight is a mere 199g, 31g lighter than the stock Candy 11s. So, if you’ve got about $510 laying around, you could recreate these at home.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

With conditions changing constantly (and it dumping snow as of this post being written), they’re keeping several sets of tires on hand. If it’s not snow covered but is frozen solid, the LAS file treads are likely to see some use. Otherwise, it’s the PDX if muddy or snow covered, or the MXP for intermediate conditions. Chris says they run air pressure between 21-24 psi, perhaps as low as 19-20 if frozen.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

Fact: White bar tape is faster. Note the upward angle of his levers, providing a good perch to push against on the descents. This also helps keep the shift levers from mashing into the fingers under the bars when braking, especially if you’re wearing thick winter gloves.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

Set back post with the saddle all the way back.

santa cruz racing tobin ortenblad stigmata cc cyclocross bike check

The Great White Jackalope is Tobin’s spirit animal.

Huge thanks to Tobin and Chris for showing us the bike!

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Greg
Greg
7 years ago

“keep the shift levers from mashing into the fingers under the bars when braking”
because they have SO MUCH DEAD TRAVEL no matter what the setting. In their defense, Shimano hydros tend to have a lot of dead travel as well.

Seraph
Seraph
7 years ago
Reply to  Greg

My Apex 1 hydros are nice and snappy, with no extra travel at all. Just gotta bleed ’em right.

Rdbkdave68
Rdbkdave68
7 years ago

Can’t wait to see the racing tomorrow. It will be interesting with all the snow.

dockboy
dockboy
7 years ago

That paint looks good.

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