Hey everyone. I'm Dustin and today I'm going to tell you three things I wish I had known before buying an electric trike. Stick around.
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So today I'm going to tell you three things I wish I knew before buying an electric trike, but before we do hit the subscribe button below, stay in touch with us here at SixThreeZero, so you can be the first to know about all the new content we're putting out for products, giveaways, and all sorts of other things. So hit subscribe.
Behind me, I have the SixThreeZero electric tricycle, which is available in four colorways that you see behind me and I ride one of these and there are three things I really wish I knew before getting an electric trike, so let me tell you what they are.
Number one. Trikes and electric trikes ride differently than electric bikes. That is really important to know. If you've never ridden a tricycle before, or if you're someone that only rode a tricycle when you were three, four, or five years old, and you've just been on a bike most of your life, when you get onto a trike, especially an electric trike, I think it's really important that you're prepared for the experience that you are going to have on an electric trike.
What I say, when I say they ride different, they feel different, it is a completely different experience. The way you turn. The way you accelerate, decelerate, and also what a tricycle is capable of, versus a bicycle is totally different.
One thing I'll point out is how you turn is a little bit different. You want to lean away from your turns on tricycles. On two wheel bicycles you'll want to lean into your turns and take the turn at a very decent pace also. On a tricycle you'll want to take turns much, much slower than on a two wheel bicycle. You need to lean against the turns on a tricycle. You can accelerate out of the turn. These are the kind of things when you first get on an electric trike, they may concern you a little bit, or you may feel like, how am I ever going to get used to riding this thing? But I will tell you, once you start to understand the way you move your body, the way it feels, it will become second nature.
There is a certain way to shift your body weight on a tricycle that you will become used to over time. But because most likely you've trained your mind on how to ride a two wheel bicycle, it can take time to adjust to the differences. Once you really grasp the idea that a three wheel bicycle is not a two wheel bicycle, it will become very easy steering and turning a tricycle. In reality it takes less to actually steer and ride a tricycle, but because our minds have been on a two wheel bike for so long it can sometimes feel complicated for first time tricycle riders.
The best way to get used to riding an electric tricycle is to go to a parking lot with a lot of wide open space. This way there are no obstacles you can ride into while riding. Just take your time and start riding slow, take turns slow. As you get more comfortable you can start to tackle trails or more narrow roadways. But definitely as you being to learn to stay in wide open spaces.
But I wish I had known that before I got back on a trike because the first thing you do in your head is you say, "Oh my Gosh. I can't do this." Or, "Oh my Gosh, this feels so crazy." In fact, we made another video with seniors riding electric trikes for the first time and you'll see that the first time people get on the electric tricycle, it feels different and they're not used to it because a lot of adult riders have spent most of their lives riding on two wheels. And for whatever reason now they're choosing a trike, albeit for errands or they have balance issues, or just in general they want to be safer, so it feels different.
You also will want to be more careful going down very steep hills on a tricycle, because you need to brake harder because of the added weight of a trike. When going downhills you'll want to ease the brake the whole way down on a tricycle. This will ensure you a safe, gradual decline down the hill.
A tricycle is also going to accelerate slower than a two wheel bike. A tricycle is obviously a heavier type of bike and thus will require more effort to get it moving. This is why opting for an electric version is a great idea because it can help with the acceleration as need. But on a tricycle you've got more rubber contacting the road and thus it will take more effort to get the three wheels rolling.
So again, it's important that when you get your electric tricycle for the first time, don't judge it based on it being a two-wheeled bike and also give it time. As you get comfortable with it will become second nature. It's just like when you learn to drive a car or ride a bicycle. It was uncomfortable at first because you didn't understand the nuances of how you turn and all of those different elements, but once you get comfortable, it will feel great.
To start with the SixThreeZero electric trike, we have the capability for pedal assist and full throttle, meaning you can have the motor assist you when you pedal, or you don't have to pedal at all. You can simply push the throttle, which is located up here, and the bike will do all of the work for you. Not all electric trikes are going to feature this option. So, you have to think about what is most important to you. Would you like to have that option of the throttle? Do you not care? In the case of our electric trikes, it doesn't cost any extra. It's simply adding a little plastic piece here to connect the throttle to the motor, so you can control the motor here with your thumb, not just with the pedal assist. So, that's important to remember.
The throttle on an electric tricycle is a very fun feature that many riders enjoy having. Throttles on an e trike can come in two different ways, either a twist throttle or a thumb throttle. A twist throttle is located on the grip and works like the throttle on a motorcycle. A thumb throttle is located under the grip and is activated when pushed with your thumb. Both provide power based on how much the rider engages them. A twist throttle gives you more power the more you twist the throttle and the thumb throttle gives you more power the harder you push it down with your thumb.
There are a few benefits to throttles on an electric tricycle. Firstly, having a throttle can make starting a ride much easier. E trikes can be heavy and getting them moving from a complete stop can sometimes be challenging. With the simple twist or press of the throttle the electric tricycle will start moving. Once you have enough momentum and the electric trike has started rolling you can ease off the throttle and start pedaling. This tactic just makes the starting process of a trike ride much more enjoyable.
The other benefit of a throttle on an electric tricycle is at any point during the ride you can give your legs a break. Pedaling a 3 wheel bike can be challenging at times. Having three wheels means more traction on the road but it also means more effort the rider needs to put forth in order to keep the bike rolling. This is where the benefit of having a throttle comes into play. At any point you can stop pedaling, engage your throttle, and you can maintain your speed without any effort on your part. This can allow riders to give their legs a nice rest at any point during their ride. Let your legs recover so you can be rested for the next a part of your ride. This is an especially beneficial strategy if you are tackling long range rides or rides with a lot of hilly terrain.
In addition to that, there are other features that make the SixThreeZero trike stand out from other trikes. But for you, think about what is most important and what you really need. As far as the sixthreezero Electric Tricycle, we have a very low step-through, upright riding position, so if comfort is important to you, and reducing body pain on your rides is important to you, the SixThreeZero electric tricycle would be a great option.
The low step-through frame on a tricycle is a crucial design element that significantly enhances the accessibility and user-friendliness of the vehicle. Unlike traditional high-step designs, a low step-through frame allows riders to easily mount and dismount the tricycle with minimal effort, catering to a diverse demographic, especially those with mobility challenges.For individuals with limited flexibility, joint issues, or age-related concerns, a low step-through frame eliminates the need for awkward and strenuous maneuvers when getting on or off the tricycle. This accessibility feature is particularly beneficial for older adults or riders with physical limitations, providing them with a more comfortable and dignified experience.
The importance of a low step-through frame becomes particularly evident in situations where stability and balance are crucial, such as when stopping at intersections or during sudden stops. The design ensures that riders can confidently place their feet on the ground without the need for extensive leg lifting or stretching, reducing the risk of accidents or falls. Moreover, the low step-through frame promotes inclusivity by making tricycles more accessible to a broader range of individuals. Whether for recreational rides, commuting, or fitness, the ease of dismounting encourages more people to embrace tricycle riding as a viable and enjoyable mode of personal transportation.
In essence, the low step-through frame on an electric tricycle is not just a design feature; it's a commitment to creating a more accessible and user-friendly riding experience. By prioritizing ease of dismounting, sixthreezero empowers riders of all ages and abilities to enjoy the many benefits of three-wheelers e bikes without the barriers posed by traditional high-step designs.
The position the riders is seated in is another element that is not the same across all electric tricycles. Some e trikes may require the rider to lean slightly forward in order to reach the handlebars. This is not an ideal position because it will put tension on the riders lower back and shoulders. The type of handlebars that are on the electric tricycle greatly impacts how much the rider will need to lean forward. A handlebar that comes into the riders body will allow them to sit upright in an ergonomic position and not have to lean forward. On all of the sixthreezero e trikes, the rider is seated in an upright position. The two types of handlebars on sixthreezero electric tricycles, the swooping cruiser bar and the mini ape hanger bar both come into the riders body. These type of handlebars allow the rider to keep a straight upright back and sit comfortably on their tricycle. If you are concerned about the sitting position on your tricycle make sure to find one with an upright riding position. It will reduce pain on your trike rides and keep you smile throughout the ride.
An electric tricycle can come with many different tire sizes. Tires on electric trike bikes can range from 16" up to 26" in diameter typically. But the width of the tire can also vary, from usually as thin as 2.125" up to widths of 4". The different tires serve different purposes and can handle different terrains differently. Smaller tires are best for shorter distance riding and also for a tricycle that may be ridden in tighter spaces. The small tires will be easy to turn and navigate with. They will also keep the electric tricycle closer to the ground giving the trike a lower center of gravity. Generally this will make the three wheel bike more stable and also will make it easy to mount and dismount. Larger tires are great if you plan to ride your electric tricycle on varying types of terrains like trails. Having the extra width will absorb the bumps and will also make it easier for the trike to traverse the varying levels of the terrain. Having the extra width of the tire can also add stability. The more rubber on the ground the better generally speaking for stability. But the added width will make it more difficult to pedal. Even if you plan to use the electric assist or throttle the majority of your rides, the bigger wider tires will drain the battery quicker. The added size and weight of the 4" wide tires will mean the motor will have to work harder thus draining the battery. It's important to think about how you will mainly use your e trike and what terrain you will most likely be riding on. This will allow you to choose the correct components and not overpay for your tricycle. While it may look cool to have big fat tires or you may like how compact and small a tricycle is with small tires, make sure to consider every part of the rides you plan to do. From the hills, to the terrain, and also your own body type, all of these factors play in to choosing the correct tires for your electric tricycle.
Electric tricycles of course have a motor, but they can also have gears like on a conventional non electric tricycle. The options for gears on a trike are usually one, three, or seven. It's uncommon to see speeds above seven on an electric trike but some types may. Seven speeds is most common on an electric tricycle. This will allow the rider to have enough gears to get them up hills with pedal assistance. If the gears are not setup correctly it may be difficult to match the cadence of pedaling with the amount of assistance you get from the motor. If you are pedaling fast and it feels like motor is doing all the work, this is called "ghost pedaling." This is when you don't have a high enough gear to match the output of the motor. You can also add a very large font chainring for a single speed or seven speed, by doing this your gears will match better with higher levels of assistance but it will be difficult to pedal up hills. This is why getting at least seven gears on an electric tricycle is recommended. It will give riders enough range to have a good pedal cadence both up hill and on flat ground with varying speeds. The other benefit of a multi speed e trike is you will be able to pedal without the assistance of a the motor. Should you choose to go out for a ride and not want to use the electric assistance having at least seven gears will make pedaling much easier than if you only had a single speed. It is something to consider if you think you may decide to use your electric tricycle sans the electric. Consider your riding habits and terrain before making a choice on the number of gears for your e trike.
There are varying sizes of batteries on an electric tricycle. Batteries are usually measure in amp hours or watt hours. Batteries can range in size from 8 amp hours to 21 amp hours usually. The watt hour size would typically range from 288 up to 1,000. The larger the battery the more expensive the electric tricycle will be generally speaking. A larger battery will obviously be capable of taking riders on farther rides but there are some exceptions to this. Fat tire e trikes will require larger batteries because they are heavier and have more rubber dragging on the pavement. The thick wheels, usually either 3" or 4" will need more battery power to propel the rider.
It's also very important to consider where you are going to ride your etrike, this will have a large impact on the battery size you will need. If you plan to ride up several hills on your rides then it will be important to have a larger battery. The more uphill riding you do the quicker your battery will drain. If you plan to stay mostly on flat ground then even batteries on the smaller side will last for many miles.
There are other factors to consider regarding the battery. The weight of the rider will also impact the range you can expect to get from your electric trike battery. The heavier the rider, the quicker the battery will drain. Now, it's not just the rider's weight but also how they use the electric assist. A rider let's say over 250lbs who uses the throttle for an entire ride may only get a max of five to ten miles on their electric trike rides. But that same 250lb rider who only uses pedal assist may get 15 - 20 miles per ride.
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It's very hard to accurately predict the range a rider will get with their battery. The same is true of cars, it will depend on the route, terrain, weight of rider and how the electric assist is used. As you start to ride your trike more frequently you were started to get familiar with the type of range you can come to expect on your rides. Choosing a bigger battery for your electric tricycle may never be a bad thing, but it will cost you additional money. If you don't frequent long rides, trails and just enjoy cruising around the neighborhood on your electric tricycle, then a small battery will work perfectly fine for you.
Foldable electric trikes are great for storing and taking with you. Generally the frame can fold in half, the handlebars can fold down and the pedals can fold up. This makes them very compact when folded and they can fit in a hatchback, SUV or and RV. Many riders want to transport their tricycle to a trail or park where they enjoy riding. If you are someone who may want to transport your e trike frequently then a folding electric trike may be a good option. But foldable electric tricycles are not always lighter than non folding trikes. It can depend on what the frame is made out of and also what kind of accessories are on the tricycle. Adding a basket in the front and/or rear can drastically increase the weight of an electric tricycle. It's important to think about what is most important to you, the cargo space, the weight or both. Generally folding electric tricycles will also have smaller wheels. Smaller wheels are good for some types of riding. It makes the tricycle much easier to turn and navigate tight spaces. But for longer rides where you want to cruise and get more roll out of each tire rotation a tire with a larger diameter is a better option. If you plan to use the electric assist for the majority of your rides, then you won't be able to really tell the difference between having a folding and non folding electric tricycle. The smaller tires won't have much impact on the rider. The battery will obviously drain quicker if you choose to engage the assist frequently. But all in all a foldable electric tricycle is a great option for easy transporting, storage and having a nimble, easy to turn tricycle.
Now, the last thing I wish I had known before I bought an electric trike is I didn't realize how much fun they would be, honestly. I say that because a lot of people turn to a trike or an electric trike for practicality, meaning they lost their balance or they just want to be safer and they don't want to be on two wheels for the fear of crashing.
I will say two wheels, three wheels, four wheels, it doesn't matter. Trikes are so much fun, especially electric trikes. The reason I love it and I have one in my garage, in addition to having other two-wheel bikes, is it's such a different experience. All ages and different types of riders can benefit from having a three-wheel electric bike. Electric tricycles have helped people of all ages get back into bike riding and regain a confidence they didn't have before. This is what made me fall in love with e-tricycles. I believe this is the reason they are so loved by consumers and will continue to grow in the electric bike space.
Three wheel ebikes are so fun, you don't have to worry about balancing it all. You'll never have to worry about tipping over or keeping the bike upright. It makes for a very relaxed enjoyable riding experience. Simply hop on and starting riding. I can push the throttle like this. It just goes. I actually choose an electric tricycle when I really do not want to keep my balance. I just kind of want to have fun, throw some stuff in the back, and ride to the beach. That's what also makes it fun you can take your dog so easily.
If you actually check out the SixThreeZero Pedalers Group on Facebook or Instagram, we've posted photos. A lot of people put their dogs in the back. You can hook up a baby seat to this as well. There are just so many different types of uses and different things you can do. We've also had a lot of fun with the electric trike here at our office by putting somebody in the back. I don't recommend that but that option is there. So yeah, I mean, I think if you're turning to an electro trike and there's a practicality reason for it, don't be discouraged. Don't think, "Oh, I'm not on two wheels anymore." This is so much fun. I love it and honestly, I look forward to getting on this for rides. But I will say, when I was looking to buy a trike, I was a little worried about the stigma at first, but I can tell you right now, not anymore.
In addition to that too, having the power makes it that much more fun, where you can just get up and go. Again, I'm not doing anything. I'll just back up for you here. Actually, I'll do a quick loop and you can see how easy that is. And again, I'm leaning into the turn-on trikes and I can go ahead and park it right here and there you have it.
So, if you are in the market for an electric trike, those are the three things I wish I had known before I bought my electric trike, my SixThreeZero electric tricycle, which is available in teal, cream, navy, and matte black. You can check it out on sixthreezero.com.
Number one trikes are different than two-wheel bikes. They're going to ride differently. They're going to feel differently and it may take you a little time to get used to it. Number two, not all trikes are created equal. Make sure you find the right trike for your riding needs. There are options out there. The sixthreezero EVRYjourney Electric Tricycle is a great all-purpose, comfort trike that can do a lot of different things for a lot of different people. And number three, trikes are so much fun and if you thought they wouldn't be, I recommend giving it a try and getting out there and going for a ride.
I hope that helps. If you have any other questions at all, please comment below. We'll get back to really fast or you can shoot us an . The team at sixthreezero.com or call us at (310) 982-. Don't forget, if you are in the market for an electric trike, visit our website sixthreezero.com you can also take our body fit quiz on the website and we can recommend the perfect bike or trike for you. Or if you just know you want our electric trike, visit our website. You can see these bikes on sixthreezero.com.
In addition to that, we have a 30-day test ride your E-bike policy. If you don't love your bike or trike within 30 days, your E-trike, send it back, no questions asked, no money out of your pocket. And on regular bikes, nonelectric, we have a 30-day test ride your bike policy, so we want to guarantee that you love your bike.
Lastly, be a part of our community, either before or after your purchase, and own a SixThreeZero, before you can download the app and join the Pedalers Group. It's a great place to connect with our current riders, hear their experiences, and ask them questions about their electric trike or any of their bikes, so you can get more information before you purchase.
Then once you have your trike, you can log your miles on the app, be a part of the competitions on the app, win prizes, and of course, log miles to help us achieve our People Pedaling goal for this year, 150,000 miles.
I think that is it. Thank you again for sticking around and don't forget, it's your journey, your experience. Enjoy the ride.
Electric trike buying tips that'll save you money. Stick around to find out what they are. All right, so I've got electric trike-buying tips that'll save you money. But before we get into it, hit the subscribe button below. Stay in touch with us here at sixthreezero and be the first to know about all the new content we're doing, giveaways we're doing, and of course new product releases. All right, one more thing before I get into it. This is the sixthreezero Easy Transit Foldable E-Trike, which is linked in the description below, and also linked in the upper right-hand corner of the video. If you like what you see here, and want to check out more about this one or other trikes, follow that link in the description. You can find them on sixthreezero.com. All right, let's say you are in the market to buy an electric trike and you want to make sure you get the right trike for you and you want to make sure that you save money or you just spend the right amount of money that is right for you.
So let's get into a few tips that I think will help save you money in the long run so you ultimately get the right electric tricycle for you. Okay first and foremost to discuss a few things. Battery size and motor size are going to be the two biggest driving factors when you are out shopping for an electric trike. The bigger the motor typically and the bigger the battery, the more expensive the e-trike will be. So it's important as you go out and search for an electric trike that you think about the range or the distance that you will or will not be typically riding. As an example, if most of your rides are going to be under five miles, you could probably look for a battery at 10 amp hours or less. Also, if you're going to stick to mainly flat ground or pavement, you don't need an exorbitantly large battery either.
Now I think having a large battery could be an appealing proposition. Just know that you're going to pay more money for that. And I'm talking, you're going to add, depending on how large of a battery you start to go, you could be talking about hundreds of dollars more as a result of a certain trike you choose. Also, I think sometimes when people are out shopping for an electric trike, they may gravitate towards something that looks good, looks big, but it could be specced for your riding, and specifically I'm talking about the battery, it may be appealing to you to have that large battery, but again, if your rides are zero to five miles, you don't need that. For five to 15 miles, you may want to consider no less than 10 amp hours up to 15 amp hours. Now, if you're going to be out there grinding 20 miles, 25 miles on your electric trike and you're doing serious hills, then you may want to look at 15 amp hour, 21 amp hour.
Sixthreezero, we make a trike with a 21 amp hour, and then our two other trikes are 10.4 amp hours. What we've found is most trike riders are keeping their rides under 10 miles and a very large percentage are keeping their rides under five miles. So we want to spec our e-trikes accordingly to not drive the price exorbitantly high, but so we can have e-trikes in the entry to the mid-level range to get as many people onto electric tricycles as possible. Now, let's talk about the motor too. Same principle. If you're out shopping for a trike, think about the riding you're going to do. Also, you have to consider your weight as a rider in conjunction with the type of riding you're going to do. If you are 200 pounds or less and you're doing small to moderate hills, I would say you could look at anything between 500 watts and 250 watts. If you're doing just primarily flat ground riding and you're under 200 pounds then under 250 watts or less is going to be enough.
One of our other trikes, the Evryjourney electric trike, is 250 watts and we found for riders up to 300 pounds on flat ground it's great. It'll take you up to 14 miles an hour. You can do everything you want to do and it's substantially less expensive than a lot of the other electric trikes that are in the market. So it's something to consider. Again, if you're doing primarily flat ground. Now, if you are a bigger rider over 200 pounds and you're doing a lot of hills, at that point, you're going to want to consider either a 500-watt or 750-watt motor. And if you're also a rider over 200 pounds that's doing hills and doing longer distances, at that point you may want to consider no less than a 15 amp hour battery all the way up to the 21 amp hour battery.
We do offer that on one of our Evryjourney rickshaw e-trikes right now, 21 amp hour battery, but just as an example, replacement cost for that battery is going to be about $1,000 just for the battery for a 21 amp hour battery. Now that battery uses Samsung cells, which makes it a little bit more expensive because you have the brand name battery cells there, which is another thing to consider. So that is something to also think about is going to be replacement cost. Batteries won't last forever. The lifetime's going to be anywhere from two to four years, depending on how often you use it, how you store it, and your charging process to make sure you conserve the battery. But at some point in time, you will most likely need to replace your battery. The larger the battery you have, the more expensive it is going to be for you to replace that battery down the line. As an example, a battery this size, our 10.4 amp hour battery is $350 if you buy an additional battery.
Currently, our replacement cost for the 21 amp hour battery on our website is $1,100. And again, that's a Samsung cell battery I'm referring to. That's $1,100. But that is the reality of the cost of these bigger batteries and why so much of the cost of an electric bike or e-trike is linked to that battery. So that's an important tip if you're out there shopping for an electric trike and you want to make sure you're buying something that's the correct price for your use cases, it's going to be very easy to see a lot of different trikes in a very wide range. You're going to see from $1,000 all the way up to $6,000 for electric trikes. Check out the specs. Oh, excuse me, check out the specs, check out the battery size, check out the motor size. Now, everything else on the e-trike is going to come down to the design principles and what is best for you. I stress when looking for an e-trike, get something that is best for your body.
So it's going to be comfortable for you, and easy to use. If you like a low step through so you can easily get on and off that is something you want to look for as well. Now, there are little other things that are going to drive up the cost, but nothing as substantial as the motor and the battery. But you could have things like a derailleur up here. So if you feel like you don't need gears and you want a single speed, you could look for that option. You'll save a few bucks, maybe 20, 30, $40 off the cost of your e-trike. Our foldable easy transit does come with the front and rear baskets. Now we include those for a subsidized price if you were to buy them on your own. But if you don't want to have those on a trike that comes standard with you, look for something that doesn't come with them.
I will say if it doesn't come with the baskets though, pay attention to how much it would cost you if you'd ever want to add a basket. Baskets are not going to be cheap, especially for e-trikes. Now, you could do a front basket, which would probably range 20, 30, 40, or $50. Rear baskets are going to be more expensive for electric trikes probably in the neighborhood of closer to $100 for something like that. In addition to that, you have the brakes. Most e-trikes are going to have disc brakes. We have a model with caliper brakes, and again, it's less expensive. Mostly that trike we recommend for flat ground riding.
So again, if you're going to do flat ground riding, you can save yourself some money on the specs and not purchase something that's over-specced for you. So those are my tips. The number one thing I want you to take away from all of this is just to make sure you're buying the specs that correctly align with the type of riding you're going to do. It's very easy to buy something that's over-specced, which means you'll be overspending. I don't want to see that happen. Try to perfectly align the specs with what you purchase and you won't overspend at all. All right, if you have any other questions about buying an electric trike, go ahead and pop them into the comments section or shoot us an at or call us at 310-982-. And again, find the easy transit on our website.
Also, you can navigate, it's linked in the description below. You can also check out all of our e-trikes on our website, sixthreezero.com, and we have a 30-day test drive for your e-trike policy. If you don't love it in the first 30 days, send it back, no questions asked, no money out of your pocket. In addition to that, we're going to warranty everything on it for the first year parts and labor. If anything goes wrong, we will take care of it. Lastly, we have a Facebook Pedalers group with thousands of sixthreezero riders and a bunch of electric trike riders as well. Before you purchase, ask them questions, see how they like their e-trike, and see if there's anything they can help you with so you can get comfortable before you purchase. Then once you have your e-trike post in the group, make friends. It's tons of fun.
Lastly, we have an app where you can track your rides, and ask questions... Sorry, you can't ask questions on the app, track your rides, or compete on the leaderboard. That's a lot of fun as well. So thanks for sticking around. And don't forget it's your journey, your experience. Enjoy the Ride.
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