Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Howdy all. I have a little issue and expect someone here can give me some advice.

I picked up some Fischer BCX europa 99 capped skis for a crazy cheap price at a thrift shop. My guess is they are from 2005 or so. They had NNN BC bindings on them, but my boots are 3 pin Fischer BCX6.

I have a pair of Rottefella Chili bindings in my parts drawer I had hoped to mount on the skis. I discovered my boots appear to be too wide too fit the bindings. The bill of the boot fits, but just past the toe of the boot the boot seems too wide. I can work the boot in, but it takes a lot of effort. The cables also hang up under the edges of the boot and have to be splayed out to get around the edges of the boot.

I have some Viole 3 pin bindings that I could pull off a pair of skis I don't use to use, but they fit the boots a little tight also. The Viole bindings should work, but they really rub on the sides of the boot.

Are older 75mm bindings narrower than newer 75mm bindings? Is this an issue with the BCX boot? I really didn't want to go out and buy new bindings for these skis.

My Chili bindings fit my old Merrils and my newer T4s no problem. What boot are you using and have they ever been resoled? The Chili is a better binding if you can make it work.

Bud, are the boots in the correct binding, left boot in left binding, etc?
Binding dimensions have not changed. What size are your boots?
Those Chili cables will force your boots to "set" into the toepieces if the cable tension is correct. If for some reason they will not, then it's certainly ok to use a wood rasp or a sanding block with coarse sandpaper to carefully remove some rubber from the side of your soles . Be careful, too much removal, and the boots will wobble in the bindings.

fgd135 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 21, 2022 9:33 am

Bud, are the boots in the correct binding, left boot in left binding, etc?
Binding dimensions have not changed. What size are your boots?
Those Chili cables will force your boots to "set" into the toepieces if the cable tension is correct. If for some reason they will not, then it's certainly ok to use a wood rasp or a sanding block with coarse sandpaper to carefully remove some rubber from the side of your soles . Be careful, too much removal, and the boots will wobble in the bindings.

Thanks all,

I looked at the Chili's some more after my post. I took off the cables off to discover the boots slip into the toe piece fine with the cables off. It seems the rods are too close to the boot. The rods look straight, but I assume they are supposed to be bent to get around the edge of the boot? If this is the problem, does anyone have any advise on bending the rods? I have a vice so I'll be able to clamp the hook in the vice the keep them aligned. I'm confused as to how the rods became straight if they should have had a bend in them.

I'm not positive but what you are calling "rods" I call cables on mine. Is it possible that the cable/rods are not original to the binding? Post a pic if you can before you modify your boots.

lowangle al wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:16 pm

I'm not positive but what you are calling "rods" I call cables on mine. Is it possible that the cable/rods are not original to the binding? Post a pic if you can before you modify your boots.

I'm thinking bend the cables a bit? The boots are hanging up on the edges of the cables. I found a small picture of a Chili binding online and it appears they should have a bend in the cables?
I'm trying to post some pictures They don't seem to be coming up here but, I attached them as files on the next post.

I think you'll need to reverse those rods, left to right, right to left, on each binding to attempt to get them to fit, and adjust them for the correct, even, length. Should work out if you fool around with that for a while. I would be very leery of attempting to bend these rods...might create stress cracks that would propagate on you a couple of miles or so from the trailhead.
The red "Chili" is the same toepiece, with cables instead of rigid side rods. But Chili cables, if you can find them anywhere, will interchange.

Thanks all. Now that I've figured out the toe piece is alright, I should be able to figure out what the deal is with the cables.

Mtnbbud wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 21, 2022 8:29 pm

Thanks all. Now that I've figured out the toe piece is alright, I should be able to figure out what the deal is with the cables.

In the photos you have the right boot in the left binding, and the left boot in the right binding.

Try swapping them around. The notch in the rear of the binding goes on the side of your big toe, and the little eyelet for attaching a ski leash goes on the side of your little toe.