I'm fairly new to the bike game (I have a 14 and a 20 foldie) but getting an inexpensive bike for a 10 mile commute then upgrade parts or get another one is definitely the smart step..
A lot of other good brands like tern, asian brands like trinx, dahon are also solid choices.
A lot of other good brands like tern, asian brands like trinx, dahon are also solid choices.