From Maui to Copenhagen, Boise to London, San Luis Obispo to Tempe, triathletes cycled with fierce abandon. Here is a selection of some of Timothy Carlson’s best shots.

Split nose saddles: I separate these into two categories, those that appear like standard saddles, creating a fjord out of what in other saddles is a lake; versus wide split-nosed saddles like the ISM.

After perusing all of this year’s What We have Noticed features, our editor selected his favorite ten items of 2011. It was not an easy decision to make, but someone had to do it.

From Oceanside to Copenhagen, London to Maui, Pacific Grove to Kona, the best shots of triathlon swimmers in 2011 by Timothy Carlson.

Are there differences between how you sit, and what you do, aboard a saddle on a road bike versus a tri bike? Yes. Two differences, and they’re big. What makes this possible? Handlebar design.

Arild Tveiten is a fast age grouper from Norway who has been doing this triathlon stuff for quite some time. But like the interviewer, this Norseman bound athlete just recently became father of twins. A random coincidence indeed.

With just a few days left in 2011 we noticed the Oakley Team USA Jawbones, the Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll trainer, the unique two nuns bike and something to keep you warm and cozy.

Asics has labeled this shoe natural which, according to the orthodoxy of today, it is not. Nevertheless, a terrific shoe it is. Sail over the squabble between what is and isn’t natural, here’s a great lightweight trainer.

We’re going to be writing about saddles a lot during the first part of 2012. Let’s start with why road saddles are made the way they are, and why you can throw it all out the window when mounting a tri bike.

The owners of bicycle fabricator Cervelo Cycles have entered a process which may result in a sale of their highly regarded bicycle company to Dutch finance and transportation conglomerate PON.

Mary Beth Ellis qualified for Olympic Trials in three sports, earned medals twice at Ironman 70.3 Worlds, and set a mark for the fastest Ironman debut by a woman at Austria. She reflects on it all after a joyous December wedding.

This week’s random age grouper Megan Rocker resides in Oakdale, Minnesota and she actually had something to say. No answers had to be wrung out of her, they just came naturally, and yes, they came.

Until recently Simone Brändli was racing under the name Simone Benz and that is how she was listed in the results when she won Ironman Cozumel. For the Swiss Pro who got married at the end of 2010, this was her first Ironman title.

Slowman is Keo Man by nature. But I mounted the Speedplay Zero cleats on a set of Sidi T3 tri-specific cycling shoes. There was a reason for this. Speedplays have one virtue that is almost singular in the world of pedal.

Basque photographer Paulino Oribe chronicled for posterity Slowman and friends on MTB through Morocco. Sorry, no crashes caught on camera.

Bike company junkets to the Dolomites, Alp d’Huez, or Tuscany are fine. Orbea Travel offers something additive to the junket experience: an abject fear of the distance and terrain. Bravo.

Joel Filliol has been the Canadian Olympic coach and more recently served as the head coach for British Triathlon. He surprisingly left that position earlier this year and we chatted with him to see what he is up to these days.

Elite triathlete Tenille Hoogland combined a burning desire to improve her run with an abiding love for the Kenyan way of life and sport – and a desire to share an adventure with her inspiring brother

Kiwi James Cotter had a very good season in 2010 but has been plagued with injuries recently. He resides in the US most of the time but the soft spoken Pro is currently back in New Zealand for 3 months.

Clayton Fettell led the Sunsmart Ironman Western Australia for most of the day and ended up with second place. While that might be a bummer to some, this young Aussie saw it as a sign of greater things to come.

I don’t wear glasses when I ride. Ever. That established, an Assos Zhego sports glass arrived a few days before my scheduled departure for a week of mountain biking in Morocco. I took it along.

This week’s random age grouper hails from Germany and we actually had to hurry to get this interview done before the year is over. While this might be the first time Markus is featured here, it might not be the last time.

About 10 days ago Timo Bracht added another title to his already impressive resume with the win at the Sunsmart Ironman Western Australia. He talked to slowtwitch about that race, Kona and his plans for the future.

The Cervelo P5 is coming indeed and we will be there to get all the details you could possibly want. We also noticed the PocketToolX Mako bike tool, the Rappstar World Bicycle Relief Fundraiser Polo and a very cool Bento Box.