Guides
Cleat guide
Updated · Independent guide · 5 picks compared
Quick answer
For Speedplay cleat covers, use Wahoo's own Speedplay Cleat Cover kit: it fits the current Standard and Easy Tension cleats and legacy Speedplay Zero Walkable cleats. For other bike cleat covers, match the cleat: Shimano SM-SH45 fits every SPD-SL cleat, and the Look Keo Cover fits Keo and Keo Grip cleats. 2-bolt SPD cleats in recessed shoes don't need covers.
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Chosen from current models on manufacturer specs, compatibility and design — not sponsored placements. Amazon buttons open a search for the exact model.
Best for: Anyone riding current Wahoo Speedplay or Powrlink Zero pedals
Wahoo's walkable cleat cover kit fits the black Standard Tension and gray Easy Tension cleats, plus legacy Speedplay Zero Walkable cleats. The TPU covers come with cleat surrounds, and they protect the spring mechanism that lives inside every Speedplay cleat.
Best for: Shimano road pedal riders who walk into a coffee shop or to the car
Shimano's own covers fit every SPD-SL cleat (red SM-SH10, blue SM-SH12, yellow SM-SH11). They are rubber with a grooved tread, and they snap together to fit in a jersey pocket or saddle bag.
Best for: Look Keo riders who want to protect cleat edges and grip pads
Look's own cover fits both Keo Grip and older Keo cleats in every float color. It is meant for short walks; Keo Grip cleats already have rubber pads, so the cover is mostly about protecting the cleat edges that hold you in.
by Kool Kovers
Best for: Riders still on older Speedplay Zero or Light Action cleats
The long-running aftermarket cover, made in versions for Speedplay Zero/Light Action, Look Keo and Shimano SPD-SL cleats. Availability has become patchy and some versions are listed as out of production, so check which version a seller actually has.
Best for: Look Keo riders who want grippier cleats instead of covers
Not a cover but the alternative: Keo Grip cleats have rubber pads built in, and Look's 2026 update made the rear pad larger. They come in black 0°, gray 4.5° and red 9° float.
Swipe sideways on mobile. "—" means not applicable or not confirmed by the manufacturer.
| Model | Cleat system | Fits | Material | Good to know | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahoo Speedplay Cleat Cover | Wahoo Speedplay | Standard and Easy Tension cleats; legacy Zero Walkable | TPU | Kit includes cleat surrounds | Check price |
| Shimano SM-SH45 SPD-SL cleat covers | Shimano SPD-SL | SM-SH10, SM-SH11, SM-SH12 | Rubber, grooved tread | Snap together for storage | Check price |
| Look Keo Cover | Look Keo | Keo Grip and Keo cleats | — | For short walks | Check price |
| Kool Kovers | Speedplay Zero/Light Action, Look Keo, SPD-SL | Version-specific | — | Patchy availability | Check price |
| Look Keo Grip cleats | Look Keo | Look Keo pedals | Plastic with rubber grip pads | Built-in grip, no cover to carry | Check price |
Cleat covers are system-specific: a cover only grips the cleat shape it was molded for. Find your cleat in the left column.
| Your cleat | Cover that fits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wahoo Speedplay Standard Tension (black) | Wahoo Speedplay Cleat Cover | Kit includes cleat surrounds |
| Wahoo Speedplay Easy Tension (gray) | Wahoo Speedplay Cleat Cover | Same cover as the black cleat |
| Legacy Speedplay Zero Walkable | Wahoo Speedplay Cleat Cover | Listed as compatible by Wahoo |
| Legacy Speedplay Zero, Light Action | Kool Kovers (Speedplay version), Speedplay Coffee Shop Caps | Older products; availability varies |
| Shimano SM-SH10 / SH11 / SH12 (SPD-SL) | Shimano SM-SH45 | Fits all three float options |
| Look Keo Grip and Keo | Look Keo Cover | For short walks |
| Shimano SPD SM-SH51 / SH56 | None needed | Cleat sits inside a recessed sole |
| Crankbrothers | None needed | Cleat sits inside a recessed sole |
Not sure what you have? The cleat compatibility chart shows every common cleat by shape, bolt pattern and color.
Speedplay cleat covers matter more than covers for any other system because the Speedplay spring is in the cleat. On SPD-SL and Look Keo, the cleat is a plastic wedge and the spring sits in the pedal. On Speedplay, the pedal is a small double-sided “lollipop” and the cleat does the gripping.
That changes what walking does:
Wahoo’s current cleats are lower and more walkable than early Speedplay cleats, but they are still not walking shoes. Treat the Wahoo Speedplay Standard Tension and Easy Tension cleats as covers-required for anything beyond a few steps.
Match the cover to the exact cleat first, then think about where you will carry it.
A cover from the same company as the cleat is the safest fit. Shimano SM-SH45 covers fit all SPD-SL cleats, the Look Keo Cover fits Keo Grip and Keo cleats, and the Wahoo Speedplay Cleat Cover fits Wahoo’s cleats and legacy Zero Walkable cleats. Aftermarket covers are made per cleat system, so read the version name before buying.
A good cover snaps on firmly and stays on while you walk. Loose covers fall off on stairs or when you catch a toe. If your cover pops off often, check that the cleat is clean, that you have the right version, and that the cleat itself is not worn smaller than it should be.
Rubber and TPU covers grip far better than bare plastic. Shimano’s SM-SH45 has a grooved tread; Look Keo Grip cleats have rubber pads built in, so the Keo cover is mainly about protecting the cleat edges.
You need somewhere to put covers while riding. SM-SH45 covers snap together to fit a jersey pocket or saddle bag. Speedplay covers are bulkier; a saddle bag or top-tube bag is the usual home.
Speedplay riders should also check the cleat screws while the covers are off; a loose cleat creaks and grit in the screw heads leads to stripped heads. BikeFit 13mm Speedplay cleat screws are a common replacement if they do strip.
Which Speedplay cover you need depends on which generation of cleat you have.
If you are on legacy cleats and covers are proving impossible to find, it may be time to move to current Wahoo pedals and cleats; see the Wahoo Speedplay brand page.
“Bicycle pedal covers” usually means one of three things, and only one is a cleat cover:
If you want to walk without carrying anything, the real fix is a 2-bolt SPD cleat in a recessed shoe; compare systems in the clipless pedals guide.
Covers are the answer for Speedplay and SPD-SL riders. Look Keo riders have a middle option: Keo Grip cleats with built-in rubber pads, which make short walks less slippery without anything to carry. They still wear faster when walked on, so covers make sense for longer stops.
When covers no longer stay on, or you see worn tabs and edges, replace the cleats themselves; the cleats guide covers wear signs and replacements. Shims and bolts are in cleat hardware.
Yes, if you walk anywhere in your shoes. Speedplay's spring mechanism is in the cleat, so grit and scuffing affect how well you clip in. Wahoo's Speedplay Cleat Cover fits the current Standard Tension and Easy Tension cleats.
No. Covers are shaped for one cleat system. Shimano SM-SH45 covers fit SPD-SL cleats; Look Keo cleats need the Look Keo Cover or a Keo-specific aftermarket cover.
No. Covers go on when you get off the bike and come off before you clip in. They block the cleat from engaging the pedal.
Usually not. 2-bolt SPD cleats sit inside the tread of a recessed shoe, so you walk on the sole, not the cleat.
The phrase usually means cleat covers, which protect the cleat on your shoe. If you want to ride a clipless bike in normal shoes, a single-sided hybrid pedal, flat on one side and clip-in on the other, is the cleaner solution.
Only legacy Speedplay Zero Walkable cleats. Older non-walkable Zero, Light Action and X-Series cleats used different covers, such as Speedplay's Coffee Shop Caps or Kool Kovers.