Where was my bike made?
Or, who actually made my bike?
Revised March 18, 2008
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The information contained in this report comes primarily from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News' Factory and Suppliers Guide, published annually in October. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News is the definitive trade publication in the bicycle industry. Other sources of information include trade show and factory visits, technical writers in the cycling media, and bicycle company employees who wish to remain anonymous.
Some bike companies have a few secrets. And one of those secrets is where your bike is made or who actually made it. The bike companies like it that way because many of them rely upon the same factories to build their bikes!
The big picture is pretty clear: around 95% of the bikes sold in the
Generally speaking, low to mid level bikes are made in
When it comes to knowing where your bike is made, shouldn’t it be as easy as looking at the sticker on your bike or what is printed on the box in which your bike came? After all, how confusing can a label that says “Made in the
Well – in a word – very. It is very confusing because your definition of “made in” is different from the bike industry’s definition.
A typical rule of thumb is that the country claiming origin has to add 60% or more of the value of the final product.
For example, you and I can import an unpainted carbon fiber racing frame from
The frame and fork may only cost $200 from the Chinese manufacturer. In Spain, we will paint, decal, assemble, and box the bike for shipping to the U.S.
Our cost to paint, decal, assemble, and box might be $300 and the cost of the components might be another $800.
So is this bike “Made in
Let’s say we take the same frame and have the Chinese manufacturer paint it, decal it, assemble it into a bicycle, and ship it to
Perhaps the best way to eliminate the confusion is for the bicycle industry to follow the lead of the automobile industry and tell the end consumer the countries of origin of all aspects of the bicycle.
After all, if you are led to believe by a bunch of marketing people that your bike was handmade in Spain when it was actually mass-produced in a Chinese factory, would you buy that bike? Maybe – but you wouldn’t pay a premium for it.
With these things in mind, here is an alphabetical brand by brand run down of some key bike brands sold in the U.S. along with a few bits of trivia.
Bianchi - As I was writing this, it occurred to me that Bianchi and Schwinn have remarkably similar histories. Both were turn-of-the-century family-owned companies, manufactured their own bicycles, were popular brands in their respective countries, fell upon hard times, were eventually sold, moved substantially all of their production to Asia, and have seen a resurgence in the past few years under new owners!
In 1996, Bianchi was sold to a Swedish conglomerate (now known as Cycleurope1) whereas Schwinn went through several owners before winding up with Pacific in 2001.2
Under Cycleurope, which owns 11 bicycle brands,3 much of the bicycle production shifted from Italy to Asia, with the exception of some final bicycle assembly (i.e., Asian frames assembled into complete bicycles) and limited high-end production.
Let me take a minute and address Reparto Corse bicycles, because their "Made in Italy" sticker is a source of confusion.
The historic Treviglio factory - a monstrosity of a thing which used to house much of Bianchi's manufacturing before it shifted to Asia - has a section dedicated to Reparto Corse. It used to be that Reparto Corse (RC) meant the race department where high-end bikes were made. Now it is used as sort of a branding logo to identify the upper-end bikes that get the RC design and marketing treatment.
Many of the RC bikes have a "Made in Italy" sticker, which usually means assembled in Italy using a frame made in Asia. For example, the carbon RC frames are made by Advanced International Multitech (a Taiwanese carbon manufacturer of bike parts, baseball bats, golf shafts, arrows, fishing poles, etc.) and the aluminum frames are made by Taiwan Hodaka.
There are some frames still welded at Treviglio. My understanding is that the aluminum frames with carbon rears are either welded there or, at least, bonded there. I also understand that the frames with foam injection have the injection process completed there, even if the frames come from Asia.
Although Taiwan Hodaka manufacturers many of Bianchi's U.S. models, Fairly and Giant have manufactured for Bianchi in the past.
Cannondale - Aluminum Cannondales are made in the U.S. Cannondale, which was owned by founder Joe Montgomery and his son Scott. Cannondale is now owned by its key investment fund after experiencing financial problems. Cannondale's market share appears to have diminished but stabilized.
According to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News in June 2007, low-end Cannondales are made in Taiwan - probably by Fritz-jou. Others are welded and painted in Taiwan then sent to the US for assembly. The Synapse is made by Top Key.
In February 2008, Dorel Industries announced the acquisition of Cannondale and Sugoi clothing in an all-cash transaction of $190 million to $200 million. Dorel purchased Pacific Cycle (Schwinn, Mongoose, and GT Bicycle brands) in 2004.
Cervelo - Cervelo is a Canadian company. Bikes are made in Asia and assembled in Canada.
ex. Cervelo R3 is made in China.
Colnago - In 1944, when Ernesto Colnago served as a 12-year old apprentice in the shop of Dante Fumagalli, did he have any idea he would become the most famous of all Italian frame builders?
Colnago is, perhaps, the most coveted of all professional-quality bicycle brands - just look at the pages of VeloNews or Pro Cycling and see how many professional riders race on Colnagos!
Frames are still hand-made in Italy, except for three entry level aluminum models made in Taiwan (probably by Giant) and the carbon CLX, which is also made in Taiwan.4
De Rosa - De Rosa is an Italian company that is one of the Italian "big three" that includes Colnago and Pinarello. Ugo De Rosa, along with his sons, have been building bikes for over 50 years. As far as I know, all bikes are made in Italy.
Ducati - Bianchi has announced a licensing agreement with Ducati to produce a line of bikes with the Ducati name. It is my understanding that the frames will be sourced from Asia with the final assembly at Treviglio.
Felt - Felt was started by motocross guru Jim Felt. All production comes from Asia.
Fisher - Gary Fisher is the "godfather" of mountain bikes. After struggling with his own bicycle company, he sold his brand to Trek Bicycle Company. Still involved in designing and marketing his brand, Gary is a popular figure at bicycle industry events. He's sort of a cult figure with an unmatched sense of fashion! Fisher bikes are made in Asia, except for the full-suspension rigs (which are made in Wisconsin).
Fuji - Fuji is now owned by Ideal, who manufacturers most of their bikes. Ideal is one of the key Taiwanese manufacturers along with Giant and Merida. Ideal also manufactures for other brands. Topkey of China manufacturers Fuji's carbon frames.
Giant - You may have ridden a bicycle made by Giant without knowing it! Giant is the world's largest bicycle manufacturer with factories in Taiwan, China, and Europe. Giant, a Taiwanese company started in 1972, manufacturers their own bikes - including the carbon bikes, which is unique in the industry (i.e., most other brands utilize other manufacturers such as Advanced or Martec).
In addition to making their own bikes, Giant also makes, or has made, bikes for many other prominent brands, including Trek, Specialized, Schwinn, and Bianchi. Giant's claim to fame is that they have the most sophisticated and efficient manufacturing facilities in the bicycle industry.
A bit of trivia is that Giant owns 30% of Hodaka, a key Taiwanese supplier for many brands such as Bianchi.5
Giant also sponsors the T-Mobile professional cycling team.
Haro - a California BMX company started in 1977 by Bob Haro. All production comes from Asia. Haro owns the Masi brand. Kenstone, with factories in Tawan and China, is a key supplier.
Jamis - Jamis is the house brand of G. Joannou Cycle, a long-time distributor of bicycles and accessories. The bicycles are designed in the U.S. and sourced from Asia.
Kestrel - Kestrel, an early pioneer in carbon frames, introduced the first production non-lugged carbon frame in 1986. Originally, frames were manufactured in California. In recent years, production shifted to Asia. The frames appear to be made by Martec.
Kona - a California company with all production from Asia. Kona, founded in 1988, is a very small company similar in size to Marin. Fairly and Hodaka in Taiwan are key suppliers.
Kuota - Kuota frames are made in Taiwan by Martec, the same manufacturer that makes Kestrel frames. Kuota is a creation of Sintema, an Italian manufacturer of components. Basically, they designed the frames, had the frames manufactured in Taiwan, and marketed the brand heavily in the U.S., Western Europe, and Australia. Kuota has been a successful brand launch in a very short period of time.
LeMond - Greg LeMond is the first American to win the Tour de France, winning in 1986, 1989, and 1990. LeMond also won three World Championships and the Tour DuPont. His career was cut short by lead poisoning from a hunting accident. LeMond's early bikes were made by Roberto Bilatto in Italy and distributed by a now-defunct company named Ten Speed Drive Imports. The Bilatto-made frames are somewhat collectible.
After an attempt to have an independent bike company, LeMond licensed his brand to Trek Bicycle Company.6 Trek now designs and markets his bikes, which are made in Asia except for the spine bikes featuring OCLV carbon (which are made in Wisconsin).
A bit of LeMond trivia is that he helped develop the first aerobar with Scott and used it in his amazing come-from-behind victory in the 1989 Tour de France.7
Litespeed - Starting in the 1980's, Litespeed was a pioneer in titanium frame building. As their reputation grew, a steady stream of cycling legends came to Litespeed for their titanium expertise. For many years, Litespeed built frames for famous brands such as DeRosa, Merckx, Basso, LeMond, Tommassini, and others.8
Litespeed was, for a period of time, the largest manufacturer of high-end bicycles in the world. All bikes, including the Merlin brand that they own, are made in Tennessee except for the carbon Pavia (which has been discontinued). The Quintana Roo brand is also owned by Litespeed but is made in Asia.
Look - Look is a French company with frames made in France and Asia. Look is also a leading pedal brand.
Marin - a California company with production from Asia, except for a handful of high-end models. Marin is a very small company similar in size to Kona. Key Asian suppliers are A-Pro, Fairly, and Sunrise.
Masi - Faliero Masi was, in my opinion, the "grandfather" of all Italian frame builders, serving as inspiration to famous frame builders like Ernesto Colnago. Faliero sold his company to Americans in the early 70's. Since then, the brand has had several owners including Schwinn! At present, the Masi brand is owned by Haro (the California BMX company)9 and the bikes are made in Asia.
One of my favorite frames was a made-in-Italy Nuovo Strada that I bought from Cumberland Transit in the 80's. Unfortunately, it was stolen in the 90's!
Alberto Masi, Faliero's son, still hand-makes the traditional Masi frames in the shadow of the Vigorelli Velodrome in Milan. Unfortunately, these frames - due the licensing of the Masi name to Haro - are not sold in the U.S. under the Masi name. Instead, these frames are sold in the U.S. under the "Milano" name.10
Merlin - see Litespeed.
Olmo - Olmo is a prominent brand in Italy. Traditionally, Olmo has been made in Italy. I don't have any information on whether any models are made in Asia.
Orbea - Orbea is one of the two large Spanish bicycle manufacturers. It is sort of like Spain's version of Trek or Schwinn. Bikes are produced in Spain and Asia. High-end carbon frames are made in Asia and "finished" (i.e., painted) in Spain.
From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News:
Orbea builds aluminum frames in-house. Carbon fiber frame production, which accounts for half of its road bikes, up from 20 percent just three years ago, is outsourced to such Chinese specialists as Martec.
But unlike many bike makers who are content to tweak stock factory frames, Orbea does all of its carbon fiber frame design, engineering and prototyping in-house. It builds its own molds for new frames and assembles several dozen prototypes before handing off manufacturing instructions to China.
"We need to keep and develop our own knowledge of composites and carbon fiber, and then to find someone who can work with us to build what we want them to build," Joseba Arizaga (Orbea's marketing manager) said. "We make the molds, the first frames, everything here in Orbea. Then, when we are ready to do mass production, we send the instructions to Asia." 11
Pinarello - This Italian company has been producing world-class frames since the 1950's. Pinarello - along with Colnago and DeRosa - is one of the Italian "big three." You can visit their website, pinarello.com, for a nice history of the company.
Some frames are now made in Taiwan, including the aluminum Galileo. I haven't been able to confirm this, but apparently the carbon frames are made in Asia then shipped to Italy for painting and assembly.
Raleigh - A few years ago, the U.S. management team, headed by former Murray exec Bill Austin, bought Raleigh from its U.K. owners. Headquartered in Kent, Washington, production comes from Asia, with key suppliers being Kinesis and A-Pro.
Schwinn - Schwinn was for many years the largest American brand. All bicycles were made domestically until the late 80's.
In 1985, Schwinn management called mountain bikes a "fad" - oops.12 After two bankruptcies, Schwinn is now owned by Pacific, who also owns GT, Mongoose, and the Pacific (and some other brands). Pacific is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.
Under Pacific's ownership, the Schwinn brand is returning to prominence. Pacific sells more bicycles than any other brand in North America. However, that includes Pacific brands sold at WalMart, Target, etc.13
The bikes sold in the U.S. are made in Asia, many by Giant.
Scott USA - Scott got its start in Sun Valley, Idaho, when Ed Scott developed the first aluminum ski pole in 1958. In the 80's, Scott developed a bike line.
Eventually, Scott pulled out of the U.S. market and focused on Europe, where Scott is headquartered.14
After an absence of several years, Scott has returned to the U.S. market under the direction of Scott Montgomery of Cannondale fame. Although the company is headquartered in Switzerland, production comes from Asia, with key suppliers being Hodaka and Giant.
Serotta - Serotta is a U.S. manufacturer of high-end bicycles. It competes with Seven and Waterford and is of similar size to Waterford.
Seven - Seven is America's number one custom bicycle brand. Seven Cycles was founded by Rob Vandermark in early 1997.
Rob, previously head of R&D at Merlin Metalworks, decided to branch out on his own and develop a company to build high-end titanium and steel frames. He also wanted to offer the rider custom geometry, without extra charges and long lead times. So Rob assembled a team of experienced craftspeople who all shared a common goal: To build the highest quality, most innovative frames, and therefore provide the cyclist with the best riding experience possible.
All bikes are hand-made in Watertown, Massachusetts.
Specialized - Started in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, Specialized has enjoyed a long-standing reputation for being a leading bicycle design and marketing company.
Several years ago, Merida (a Taiwanese manufacturer) bought a substantial interest in Specialized. Although Specialized is still headquartered in California under the leadership of founder Mike Sinyard, all bikes are made in Asia. Key Asian suppliers are Merida, Ideal, and Giant.
Time - Time produces what is arguably the most advanced carbon frame in the world and all frames are hand-made in France, even the entry level frames.
Trek - It's hard to believe that America's largest bicycle brand had humble beginnings in a barn! Yet in 1976, Dick Burke - with an investment of $25,000 - started making bicycle frames in a little red barn near Madison, Wisconsin. By 1980, Trek built their first manufacturing plant in Wisconsin and the rest, as they say, is history!15
After many years of making its own bicycles in the U.S., Trek moved entry and mid level bicycle manufacturing to Asia.
In 1992, Trek introduced its proprietary OCLV carbon process (Optimum Compaction Low Void) which is still used in its handmade carbon frames. All OCLV carbon frames - road and mountain - are still made in Waterloo, Wisconsin. The all-carbon 5000 (which does not feature OCLV) is made in Asia.
Worldwide, Trek is the second largest bicycle company after Giant (of the brands sold only in bicycle stores). They are one of the most sought-after brands by U.S. dealers because of their strong commitment to brick and mortar bicycle stores (i.e., the brand cannot be sold mail order or over the Internet) and because of their dealer-friendly policies.
Trek owns (or licenses) Fisher, LeMond, Klein, and Bontrager.
Tommasini - Tommasini is a small Italian frame builder in Grosseto, Italy, of similar size to Seven, Waterford, and Serotta. Much of Tommasini's production is exported out of Italy, with their largest markets being the U.S., Germany, and Japan. In September 2006, Irio Tommasini's nieces took over U.S. distribution and are relaunching the brand in the U.S.16
Waterford - Waterford is America's number one steel custom bicycle brand. All bikes are hand-made in Waterford, Wisconsin.
In the late 1970's, a young rider, designer and builder named Marc Muller was hired by the Schwinn Bicycle Company. He brought the experience and innovation from his own framebuilding enterprise and took charge of building the Paramounts, the dominant brand of American-build racing bicycles.
In the early 1980's, Marc moved the Paramount factory to Waterford, Wisconsin and continued building elite bicycles and also created a cycling design laboratory.
Marc and his staff introduced a number of key innovations including oversized tubing (one of the most significant advances in frame design), 26" wheels, cast-in cable guides and a patented full suspension system. These advances allowed them to design and build bikes for National and World champions such as Ned Overand, Marc Allen, Mike Engleman, Tom Prehn and many others.
In 1993, Marc Muller and Richard Schwinn, great-grandson of Ignaz Schwinn, bought the Paramount factory and renamed it Waterford Precision Cycles.17
Marc is now one of the most respected bike designers in the entire bicycle industry. And Waterford, with a one hundred year heritage in bicycle manufacturing, continues to make a winning, world class frames one at a time.
Waterford is 90 minutes north of Chicago. If you visit Chicago, feel free to call for a factory tour.
What have I missed? Let me know and I'll be happy to reply. Again, you may wish to consult Bicycle Retailer and Industry News' 2007 Factory and Suppliers Guide, published in their October 1, 2006, issue. The guide lists which factories the U.S. brands use for their manufacturing.
取材自http://allanti.com/articles/where-was-my-bike-made-pg328.htm
Custom Road Bikes
This page is updated from time to time, so please check back for the latest.
Kerry started Allanti Bicycle Company in 1990. Click here to read his blog.
Are you ever confused about what high-end bike to buy?
Throughout the 30-plus years and almost 200,000 miles of riding and racing, I've sold, assembled, or ridden almost every brand of professional frame including (in no particular order) Bianchi, Masi, Merckx, Merlin, Pegoretti, Fondriest, DeRosa, Cannondale, Guerciotti, Litespeed, LeMond, Moser, Pinarello, Klein, Colnago, Torelli, Look, Vitus, Trek, Tommasini, Waterford, Kestrel, Giordana, Seven, Time, and more!
This page contains a few of my thoughts on many of the fine professional bicycles that I've had the pleasure of building or riding.Before we talk about brands, materials, etc., let's talk about what matters the most: fit. If the bike doesn't fit, you will miss the comfort, performance, and enjoyment that a custom road bike offers.
Getting the right fit can be a little bit confusing. Almost every bike shop employee has some fundamental knowledge of fitting, but fundamental knowledge is no substitute for extensive education and experience. Our trained specialists fit more made-to-measure frames than any other store in Tennessee (and probably the Southeast). But even with our qualifications and experience, we always double-check our work in-house and make sure our most experienced people sign off on each fit.
Second to fit is buying a bike for your intended purpose. If you want to race, buy a level of quality that will withstand the rigors of racing. If you want to tour, buy a bike that is stable under load. If you just want to ride recreationally, buy a bike that is easy to handle.
Third, buy it from someone reputable who listens and is focused solely on your needs. As the old saying goes, everyone has an opinion. But some people have better opinions than others. Make certain the person giving you advice is qualified to do so. And make certain the person selling you the bicycle will stand behind their work with a solid guarantee. Our guarantee is simple: love it or bring it back.
Next on my list is materials and last on my list is brand. All the materials are good and, at a similar price point, most brands are of similar quality. But having said that, I do have favorites - for both materials and brands.
My favorite material is steel - even though I enjoy both titanium and carbon. Steel has the ideal ride properties: laterally stiff, vertically compliant, and with just enough feedback to give you the input you need without the fatigue. Sort of like driving a BMW. And, with the advances of the past few years, steel no longer carries the weight penalty it once did. Quality steel frames often weigh less than titanium. We just built up a 64 cm Waterford (a big bike!) that weighed under 18 pounds - remarkable!
There are many, many quality steel frames, but my long-time favorite was the Moser Leader AX. Designed by the Italian cycling great himself, each Leader AX was silver fillet brazed. After some tough times, Cicli Moser - under the direction of Marco Dallapiccola - is re-establishing itself with products that capture the passion of Italian cycling products.Speaking of Italian products, the Italian cycling industry is going through a difficult time. Since 1994, bicycle production has dropped by about half. And all of this has occurred during a growing road bike market.
Although we don't sell as many Italian bikes as we used to, the Italians are the heart and soul of the bicycle industry. We certainly hope the Italian bicycle industry will be able to recover and become the market leader it once was.(We continue to sell and believe in Colnago, the premier Italian brand of pro frames).
Fortunately, artisan-quality frames are still available - and you don't have to travel to Italy to find one! In Waterford, Wisconsin, resides a world-class producer of artisan-quality frames. Operating in the old Schwinn Paramount factory is Waterford Precision Cycles.
I can't say enough good about Richard Schwinn and his great team at Waterford, so I'll just leave it at this: I have three Waterfords - a Waterford 2200, a Waterford RSE-14 for touring/commuting, and a Waterford R-14 with S&S Couplings for travel (i.e., it comes apart and fits in a suitcase). Further, most of our staff also ride Waterfords.
We are also enamored with Seven Cycles. Seven may not be a familiar name - but you know their history! Seven is comprised of the original Merlin team. Long story short: they left to start their own company and do things the way they thought they ought to be done. The result: a brilliant custom bike in steel or titanium.
If you want a world-class product, if you need custom geometry, or if you need a special paint scheme, Waterford and Seven are it. Take a test ride on our demo bikes and I'm certain you'll agree.
Let me point out that Watefords and Sevens are truly custom-made. They are made to measure for you, with your style of riding in mind. Why buy an off-the-shelf frameset when you can have it made-to-measure for a similar price?
I might add that my Waterford 2200 with Dura Ace components, a Thomson stem and seatpost, Flite Gel Flow saddle, and standard wheels with Mavic Open Pro's weighs a little over 19 pounds. I also have the traditional steel fork (which adds over half a pound) - so figure 17 pounds with carbon fork and racing wheels. My Waterford R-14 weighs under 18 pounds even with the S&S Couplings.
For folks who want an "off the shelf" titanium of top quality, we sell Litespeed. Litespeed is the industry standard in titanium - and it may surprise you to know that they are made right here in Tennessee! I might add that Litespeed now makes custom geometry frames - so for those who need custom geometry, you can choose from either Litespeed or Seven. Those are two great choices!
My carbon favorites are two: the Time VX-SR and the Trek OCLV. The Time is truly a European exotic - the absolute finest that money can buy! If you watched the 2004 Tour de France, this is the bike that Voekler and Virenque rode in the Tour.
Unlike many Look and Orbea models, the Time frames are made in France and not in Taiwan. And the Trek is U.S.-made in Madison, Wisconsin. And it's true: Lance really did race on an out-of-the-box Trek. That's pretty cool.
For those that have ridden the Trek OCLV in the past, you'll have to check out the latest generation - it has finally arrived. I've ridden many of the previous generations, but the latest version is surprisingly good. After test-riding one that I had built for a friend, I told my wife that I'd like to buy one. With their Project One custom program, you can have it custom-painted or custom-assembled with the components you specify.
Other choices? How can you not like the Italian frames from Colnago and Pegoretti? Ernesto Colnago is absolutely, without doubt, the most revered framebuilder in Italy. If you ever travel to the Milan cycling show, you'll quickly know exactly what I mean!
Component group? Campagnolo Record or Shimano Dura Ace. If any shop employee ever criticizes either one of these groups, head for the door! I ridden both for many miles and they are both GREAT! For the life of me, I can't figure out why some shop employees feel the need to criticize one or the other. Campagnolo Chorus or Shimano Ultegra are great choices as well, but not as light or durable.
Pedals are another hot topic of conversation. My attitude is whatever takes care of your knees. I've been a big Time fan ever since Greg LeMond showed me a prototype pair in October of '87. A few years ago, I switched to Speedplay and was thrilled. My wife and I both use Speedplay on our tandem. But recently, I switched back to Time and have been very satisfied.
For several years, I used Time Equipe Pro CX shoes. I really didn't think the shoe brand matters. Fit is far more important and one brand might fit you better than another. But - I just started using the Northwave Aerator Pro Road and I'm totally in love with these shoes! Wow! They are the most comfortable shoes I've worn (and probably the most expensive!).
At any rate, go ahead and buy in the $175 and up range -- they'll last much longer due to the higher quality uppers, straps, and soles.
On the mountain bike side of things, I ride an old Nuke Proof (or Puke Proof as Adam has renamed it!). It's an old Litespeed-made ti equipped with new XT 9-speed and Bontrager wheels. Since I mainly bomb around the trails with my son, I don't feel the need for the latest and greatest - although the Trek and Giant full-suspension bikes are very tempting!
In closing, we sell high-end frames from Waterford, Seven, Litespeed, Merckx, Time, Colnago, Pegoretti, Giant, and Trek. And as we often tell people, we sell what we love - not the other way around. We pick lines that we believe in, not lines that just happen to be available or are the hot frame of the season.
If you have specific questions or need advice, please feel free to call. We're happy to help!
取材自http://allanti.com/articles/custom-road-bikes-pg111.htm
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