What kind of distances are you actually talking about? Generally, anything under 2 miles, you can ride any bike you want. As long as it mostly fits you. But you could ride a beach cruiser for 2mi without any problem. 2-10, pretty much any bike as well, but fit is more important, as is reliability, because walking a broken bike for 5mi is a hassle. Over 10mi, you probably want thinner tires and more hand positions and fit is even more important.