Zbojská is a climb of 4.5 kilometers (category 4). The climb finishes at 732 m above sea level. It is located in Tisovec, Banskobystrický kraj, Slovensko. The average gradient is 3.5% with a maximum of 9.5%. The climb has 158 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty analysis: With 4.5 km for 158 m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 3.5%, the Zbojská is a Category 4 climb that most riders can handle. The first two kilometres are rolling, between 1% and 2%, but the climb really bites between km 2 and km 3.5, with stretches at 6% and then 5%. The final section, between km 3.5 and km 4.5, gives you a breather at 2 or 3% to recover before the finish.
Pacing tips:
1. Save your legs from the start The opening kilometres (km 0 to 1) are not steep, but resist the urge to go out too hard, or you'll pay for it on the steepest part.
2. Hold a steady rhythm between km 2 and km 3.5 On the 6% then 5% sections, pick a gear you can spin comfortably and keep an even effort, avoiding surges and jerky pedalling.
3. Make the most of the recovery between km 3.5 and km 4.5 The 2 to 3% gradients let you catch your breath and pick the cadence back up before the final push.
Few reviews talk about the climb itself on the bike. Most describe a walk up and a stop at the salaš (traditional farm restaurant). There you can eat halušky (small potato dumplings), bryndza (sheep's cheese) and buchty (filled sweet buns), especially the ones from Murán. You can also buy cheeses and other farm products. Many find the staff friendly and the portions generous, but some say service slows down when it gets busy.
The pass is mostly loved for its quiet and the views. From the road, the rozhľadňa (lookout tower) is visible straight away, and it's a few minutes' walk to reach it. The Jakub Surovec educational trail, which follows the legend of a bandit, leads to the Čertova dolina (Devil's Valley). One rider also mentions the source of the Rimava and the Fabova hoľa plateau. On clear days you can see the Low Tatras. Another describes a foggy morning when the forest rose above the meadows, and several mention the tower in winter. The tower stairs are steep, and someone wishes the viewing platform were a bit roomier.
The downsides come up often. On nice weekends, parking gets tricky and the lots fill up fast. Several mention big crowds. One visitor warns of stray dogs near the salaš, one of which nearly bit a child. Another paid €23.70 instead of €19.20 for three halušky and three kofola, a local soda, because of a mistake on the bill. Quality varies too: one plate of halušky lacked cabbage, a fruit cup was judged sloppily put together, and one person feels the place is starting to feel like a canteen. Finally, without a car, getting there is hard, as very few trains run.
4.5 km • 158 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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