Triathletes rock! Even though I do pretty much only cycling, I've ran competitively (in High School and Uni) and have done some swimming, too. I'm not sure why I didn't take up Tri events other than just didn't fit into my scheme of events. But as for cycling - I can honestly say that the Triathletes I've worked with and for over the years have been very instrumental in pushing the envelope.
1) Way back in early 80's I was building and importing custom Italian frames. My first customers were Trialetes who wanted a bike that fit this totally new style of event. We came up with an (advanced at the time) frame with very steep seattube and longer than 'normal' reach.
2) Currently I find the same enthusiasm and reach for excellence among most Triathletes. Yes, some are novice at riding, in some ways, but still they tend to approach cycling with more leniance and openess. I've built and sold some cool bikes geared more towards Triathletes than anyone else this year. Mostly they value performance over brand and are willing to try new things much more than the 'old guard'. I dig that.
