The thing about bike shops, is that they will try to push whatever brand they have. For college I agree with some other posters. Get something used, invest in a good lock and learn how to lock properly. Sounds silly but I have seen tons of bikes that only have wheel locked to a bike rack.
As for type... Well ride different bikes and see what you like. As a general rule road bikes have a more "aggressive" position then say a hybrid or a mountain bike. They are durable enough. I wouldn't take them on a single track, but they will do fine on roads that are "bumpy", or packed dirt trail. Heck I put my road bike through more abuse then some people put on their mountain bikes. Nothing exploding yet.
One thing about road bikes is that they usually don't have eyelets to attach panniers. So you probably will end up having to carry all the stuff on your back. Either in a back pack, or in a messenger bag. Which shouldn't be too much of a problem since you mentioned it will be under a mile (personally I would have just walked the distance).
Originally Posted by ConstantinosYEA
I went to a bike shop today (Brands on Sunrise for anybody on LI) and i looked around and asked the people that worked there a few questions. They fitted me and i need a 17.5 inch bike. They also reccomended the Trek bikes, the lower end ones starting at $280 and going up to $400. I think they look good but what do you guys think of them? He said the Trek 7000, 7100 or 7200 would be good for me since they have many gears so i can go up and down hills easily. Are those good models? I am looking to spend $300-$400 anyway so they fit perfectly into my price range. I think i could probably find a used one up at school at the bike co-op too if i am lucky.
Another thing i was wondering about was transporting these the 180 miles from home to school. I usually drive to school and i drive a Toyota Avalon. What type of rack or something is best? I think the ones that hook to the back or good. Is there any way i can transport it without a rack? Could i take off the wheels and just put the frame in the trunk? My trunk is rather wide and deep so i think it could fit. I could throw the tires in the trunk or the back seat too.
Thanks for your replies guys.