1940s Meister Cycle with 1952 Steppke 38cc engine
Steppke engines were built in the Treptow Machine Tools factory in East Berlin.
The Steppke was East Germany’s second most popular auxiliary engine, and its style is reminiscent of the Mosquito and the Lohmann.
East German engineers apparently studied the Mosquito before designing the Steppke.
The engine has a good reputation for reliability and strength, and it’s easy to use the lever (similar to the Lohmann) to locate the engine roller onto the tyre.
The Steppke is not particularly rare in Germany, but in France and Britain it is virtually unknown. Possibly, even if they’d come across a Steppke, rather than own what they might consider an East German copy of a Mosquito, a British collector would prefer to own the ‘real thing.’
…However, they are excellent utilitarian cycle-attachment units in their own right .
This engine was restored for me by my friend in France. The bicycle was already in superb condition. I really like Meister cycles and I think the Steppke and the Meister go very well together.
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Meister Cyclemotor History
Meister had an interesting history of cycle-attachment engines. Above is the 1951 Meister bicycle with a Küchen ‘help-engine’ which was marketed in Sweden.
The advert below illustrates the 1953 Meister Junior – which could also be purchased as a Mammut Bimbo or a Phänomen Bobby.
To read the rest of this review of the Meister company at the Cyclemaster Museum, please click on the following link:
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www.Oldbike.eu 