Items I've liked in 2010...
Canari cycling shorts: My colleagues at the office might not care much for "the bump", but they beat the hell out of the swimming trunks I was using prior to that.
Generic polyester jersey: Ok, it's more like base-layer type deal but it too beats the hell out of the cotton undershirts I was using for my rides.
2010 Specialized Allez Double Steel: I've already given my thoughts on the bike in another thread so I'll keep it short. Steel frame/fork, aluminum everything else, Sora groupset with D/T shifters, and fire-engine red. It's awesome and I love it. In hindsight, I'd have liked to have the bike built more for comfort and less for speed but that desire goes out the window when I hit 25mph on flat land (no wind, at night, properly hydrated).
SKS P35 fenders: The rear was a pain to get on since my Allez has shorter chainstays and virtually no clearance between the front dureilur clamp and the rear tire but I made it work. The silver fenders really bring out a classic look to the bike (which already has a classic retro motif going on anyhow), and they keep me almost completely dry on wet roads. I still need to go the DIY mud-flap route.
Specialized Bar Phat bar tape: It's awesome. Nice cushy gel pads get placed under neath the bar tape on the elbow and top hand positions and inside the drops. Plus, the tape's texture is such that it doesn't lose any grip when wet. The white bar tape that came with the bike from the LBS was perfectly sufficient in comfort-context. However, after a week it started to go from classic white to Chicken McNugget beige. It's been replaced with the black Bar Phat and I'm not looking back.
Conti Gatorskin Hardshell tires: I got the biggest one I could fit (700x23c) and it's been awesome. Grip is fine, it feels much more substantial than the Specialized Mondo Sport it replaced (which was pwned by a construction screw left out in the bike lane). I wasn't crazy about the $55 my LBS charged (I needed a tire ASAP) but it was worth it and they didn't steer me wrong.
Things I've tried but didn't care for or have hated in 2010...
Zefal rear rack (from wal-mart) and Schwinn panniers (also from wal-mart): The rack is pretty basic and does it's job, however it's not really meant for panniers. There's nothing to keep the panniers from sliding around along the top and no extra bracing to keep cheap panniers from flexing into your spokes. Also, one of the adjustable bars that holds the rack to the seat-stays broke so there's just one left. It's still solid as a rock but the rack also feels heavy. My bike (which isn't particularly light to begin with) feels noticeably lighter without the rack. It's gotta be at least 3lbs by itself. The panniers are a whole other ordeal: The backs aren't nearly stiff enough, the mounting system is a complete joke, and the material is cheap. They're just starting to fall apart and each pannier requires 2 bungee cords to keep them on the rack and out of my rear wheel. However, the rack/pannier system did get all of the crap I haul to and from the office off of my back. I will give it that credit.
Leather dress gloves for the cold: This is mostly my fault but the leather dress gloves I bought for really cheap that I thought would help keep my hands warm during these colder months here in Northern Florida are only helping to make my fingers quite cold. It seems that the leather is sort of a conductor for the cold or something. I'm looking into replacing them.
Balaclava: While I like keeping the wind and cold off of my face and looking like a ninja on my commutes, it feels like I'm suffocating sometimes, I notice my nose running a lot more when I use it, my glasses fog up when I'm at a standstill, and most importantly, it messes up my hair.
I can live without the full-head protection and get a different partial face mask. Looking at the Gore windstopper face mask but I can't find any reviews.
Things to try in 2011....
More winter gear: Jeans and a coat over shorts and a base layer isn't cutting it. I need some real gear. C'mon Christmas bonus!
New rack/pannier setup: Axiom Streamliner Road DLX and Axiom Kootenays. I cannot wait to get ride of those damn Schwinn things for good.
Clipless pedals/shoes: Looking at Shimano PD-M770 Deore XT pedals and Louis Garneau Ventilator shoes.
Dynamo lighting: Either go man-bits deep with the Shmidt SON28 hub and edelux light or go cheaper with the Shimano DH-3N72 and B&M Cyo IQ.