Choosing a race wheel is one of the most personal decisions in inline speed skating. Two wheels can look almost identical, roll on the same 608 bearings and fit the same frame, yet feel completely different under your foot at race pace. LiveLica stocks four of the most respected race wheels in the sport, the JUNK Voodoo, the JUNK Road Reaper, the Killer JUNK and the MPC Black Magic, and this guide compares them side by side so you can pick the right one for your surface, your discipline and your budget. Everything here comes from the product data for these wheels, so the hardness figures, the construction details and the race results are the manufacturer facts, not our invention.
If you are brand new to wheels and want to understand what durometer and diameter even mean before you compare models, it is worth learning the basics of hardness and size first. If you already know your way around a wheel and just want to choose between these four, read on.
First, the thing they all share
All four wheels here are sold as a set of eight, which is a full set for a pair of four wheel inline speed frames. Wheels are sold on their own, so whichever you choose you will also need sixteen 608 bearings and the correct spacers to run them. You can add those from the speed bearings collection. Before you order, confirm the wheel diameter your frame is built for, because a 110mm wheel needs a frame set up for a 110 wheel. With that out of the way, the real differences are hardness, hub design and the character each brand builds into the urethane.
The same three firmness steps run across the JUNK range. Softer grips more, harder rolls more, and the right pick depends on how smooth and dry your surface is.
JUNK Voodoo, the pure, pigment free all rounder
The Voodoo is a pure performance race wheel built with no pigment in either the hub or the urethane, so nothing is added that could compromise the natural qualities of the materials. It runs a natural turbo hub that has been re engineered for efficiency, and JUNK moulds each wheel using a one cavity tool rather than the usual four cavity approach. That means tighter quality control and more consistency from wheel to wheel, which genuinely matters at race pace. On the ground it is made for precise control through tight corners and strong speed on the straights, across both road and track.
The Voodoo comes in three firmness levels so you can match it to conditions. Firm is for challenging or slippery surfaces where you need grip. XFirm, at 84 to 86A, suits hard, smooth, dry surfaces and balances grip with roll. XXFirm, at 86 to 88A, gives the highest roll efficiency for outright speed. If you want a consistent, do it all race wheel and you like the idea of a pure, pigment free build, the Voodoo is a superb starting point. You can see it on the JUNK Voodoo XFirm product page.
JUNK Road Reaper, the decorated 110mm racer
The Road Reaper is one of the most decorated wheels in inline speed skating, and it is a 110mm wheel, the standard large diameter for the sport. Its record at the top level is genuinely serious. At the 2019 World Championships it won the Senior and Junior men's 100 metres, with Daniel Greig of Australia and Sabien Tinson of the USA. Ioseba Fernandez set the 100m world record on Road Reaper wheels at the 2018 Inline Speed Skating World Championships in the Netherlands. On the distance side, Ken Kuwada took the American Triple Crown on Road Reapers, winning the North Shore Inline Marathon in Duluth, the New York 100K, and Athens to Atlanta, the world's longest ultra marathon skate race at 87 miles. From flat out sprints to ultra distance, this wheel has done it.
The Road Reaper comes in two firmness options. XFirm at 84 to 86A is the softer of the two and grips more, which is what you want when the surface is hard, smooth and dry, because a harder wheel can start to slip in those conditions. XXFirm at 86 to 88A is harder and rolls faster for outright speed. If you want a proven 110mm race wheel with a record across every distance, the Road Reaper is hard to beat. Have a look at the Road Reaper 110 XFirm product page for the full detail.
The quick comparison. Each of the four wheels has its own hub and construction story, and each earns its place for a slightly different reason.
Killer JUNK, the stiffer hub evolution
The Killer JUNK is JUNK's evolution of a legendary race wheel. It takes inspiration from a wheel that has carried skaters to many victories and world championships, then improves on it. The headline change is a noticeably stiffer hub, along with several JUNK specific tweaks that lift performance over the previous model. Distance skaters report extra momentum through points and elimination races, while sprinters get an edge in the closing stages of the 1,000 metres. Like the Voodoo, it uses a natural hub with no added pigment, and JUNK keeps the urethane in its raw form, because the pigment free build gives better roll, grip and durability when the composition stays pure.
It is a 110mm wheel and comes in two firmness options. XFirm at 84 to 86A is the softer, grippier compound for hard, smooth, dry surfaces, and XXFirm at 86 to 88A is harder for the most roll and outright speed. If you like the JUNK philosophy but want that stiffer hub feel for the pack and the finish line, the Killer JUNK is the pick. It sits on the Killer JUNK 110 XFirm product page. If you cannot decide between all the JUNK options, the full JUNK wheels collection lays them out together.
MPC Black Magic, the Soft Heart, Hard Body legend
MPC Black Magic is one of the most successful wheels in inline speed skating, and it takes a different engineering route to the JUNK wheels. Its record is remarkable. It first proved itself at the 2013 Inline Speed Skating World Championships in Oostende, Belgium, where it broke the 300m world record and went under 24 seconds for the first time. At the 2018 World Championships in Heerde, Holland, Black Magic won more podium places than all other wheel brands combined. It is widely regarded as the most successful wheel in the sport.
What sets it apart is MPC's patented MTech technology, known as Soft Heart, Hard Body. A softer inner ring is sandwiched inside a harder outer layer of MPC's Magic urethane. That combination lets the wheel flex for grip while the harder outer body keeps it rolling fast and lasting long. It sits on a stiffer Black Turbo hub, which adds to the roll and response. The XFirm compound LiveLica stocks is tuned for hard, smooth, dry surfaces, balancing grip with roll for both tight turns and straight line speed. If you want a wheel with a two layer construction and a trophy cabinet to match, the MPC Black Magic XFirm product page has the full picture.
So which race wheel should you buy?
Match the wheel to your surface first, then your discipline, then your feel preference. If your track or road is hard, smooth and dry, an XFirm compound at 84 to 86A gives you the grip you need while still rolling well, and that is why it is the compound LiveLica stocks across all four wheels. If you skate mostly flat out on very smooth, dry ground and chase outright top speed, the harder XXFirm options roll fastest. On brand character, the Voodoo is the pure, consistent all rounder, the Road Reaper is the decorated racer for every distance, the Killer JUNK adds a stiffer hub for pack racing and sprints, and the Black Magic brings its Soft Heart, Hard Body layering and a huge championship record. Any of the four will serve a serious skater well. The differences are real but fine, so trust your surface and your feel.
Wheels are sold on their own, so budget for sixteen 608 bearings and spacers to complete a set of eight.
Frequently asked questions
What does XFirm mean and why does LiveLica stock it?
XFirm is the middle compound, 84 to 86A, which grips more than the harder XXFirm while still rolling well. It suits hard, smooth, dry surfaces, which is why it is a sensible default for most skaters and the compound stocked across these four wheels.
Are these wheels for inline or quad skates?
These are inline speed skating wheels, sold as a set of eight for a pair of four wheel inline frames. Confirm the diameter your frame is built for before ordering, especially with the 110mm Road Reaper and Killer JUNK.
Do the wheels come with bearings?
No. Wheels are sold on their own, so you will need sixteen 608 bearings and spacers, which we stock separately in the speed bearings collection.
What is the difference between JUNK and MPC here?
The JUNK wheels, Voodoo, Road Reaper and Killer JUNK, use pure, pigment free builds with natural hubs, tuned in different ways. The MPC Black Magic uses a patented Soft Heart, Hard Body construction, a soft inner ring inside a harder outer urethane, on a Black Turbo hub. Both brands have huge championship records.
How long do race wheels last?
It depends on your weight, your surface and how you rotate them. Rotating your wheels regularly keeps the wear even and makes a set last longer, which is worth building into your routine from the start.
