Originally Posted by
TiHabanero
I well remember the fascination the performance minded enthusiasts had with latex tubes. It didn't last long, only a few years. I think TPO tube fascination will go the same route, albeit a longer period of fascination will exist.
Latex and TPU are not being pushed out because they are not very good for performance, but rather that tubeless road tires have made large strides in performance. They have gotten lighter and they have gotten faster.
Personally, on my bikes that I run higher tire pressure, I've had fantastic luck with TPU, and so long as I can get them for between $2-$6 a tube, I will keep buying them. That is cheaper than butyl and well worth the weight savings.