Originally Posted by
no1mad
Everyone has their own preferences and will advise you based on their bias. There's a ton of bikes that I'm attracted to, but not all are available locally, and I can't afford most of them. Had you posed a typical "what bike" question, my default answer has historically been the Giant Escape City (w/bar ends added).
That is so very true, and the reality is that any bike that will get you there and back can be used for commuting. We'll all have a different slant on comfort, speed, convenience.
16 miles each way is pretty big to start off with, and personally I wouldn't want to jump right into it with a comfort bike. It's doable though; I sometimes take my wife's comfort bike out for a ride of 20 miles or so. Too small, too slow, and not comfortable to me but not any ordeal either. I think at first I'd start off with half-commutes. Drive it to work, ride home leaving the car at work, ride back to work, load it in the car and drive home. Only 16 miles each day that way.
Carry the tools you need to fix mechanical problems, at least until you know the bike is reliable or you can spot problems before they stop you. I'll second the advice for fenders, racks and lights.