Bicycle Mechanics - My rear wheel? Brake?

I just got back from my ride, but on the way home I was almost hit by a car. After Braking as hard as I could and yelling at the driver, my rear wheel began to make an awful noise. It seems to be rubbing on something, but I can't see what it is. Also, by rear brake doesn't seem to be functioning very well now.
I can switch from gears well still, and pedal fine, but once i stop pedaling, I can feel my rear wheel rubbing and making a noise aginst something. My rear brake doesn't brake as fast as it did. Any Ideas on what it might be?:confused:

Do you have V-brakes or discs?

Yeah, my guess is that your brake needs to be adjusted. Of course, with the sketchy info you've given us, who can tell? Don't you have a bike shop nearby?

My guess is that he has aluminum rims with standard rim brakes.

He probably warped his rim when he hit the brakes hard during the emergency braking. I did that once.

Spin the rear wheel and watch for wobble. Inspect the rear brake pads for proper centering, clearance, and alignment with rim's braking surfaces. If you are lucky, it's a minor brake problem. If you are much less lucky, you've heat-warped or stress-warped the rim, per Mike's suggestion.

Thanks for the replies. I've looked at my tire and it doesn't seem to wobble, However I plan on taking it to a bike shop just to make sure. Thanks!

It's not the tyre that would wobble, it would be the rim!!
Since you obviously don't know a thing about bikes (or mechanical repair in general), take it to a bike shop.

Originally posted by D*Alex
It's not the tyre that would wobble, it would be the rim!!
Since you obviously don't know a thing about bikes (or mechanical repair in general), take it to a bike shop.

Whoa, D*Alex, that didn't sound nice. I'm sure you didn't mean it like it sounds.

Anyway, the advise is sound; to go to a bike shop. Look around for someone who is good at straightening bent rims. You shouldn't have to buy new wheels.

I find aluminum rims a little tricky to straighten if they are bent. Spoke tensioning isn't a problem, but if you have to work beyond that with a mallet and wood, then aluminum is a little difficult.

Could be as simple as the wheel has slipped in the dropouts.

Release the quick releast and pull on the wheel to make sure it's all the way. Then retighten!

Hope that's all it is and not a warped rim, bummer if it is!

L8R