wheel problems?

[latelatebloomer]

After my crash, I took The Swallow in to the LBS and they said it had bent wheels for & aft, and the brakes needed work. Work was done, & as you-all know, I've been going back and forth between the road bike and the hybrid, trying getting my groove back. (it's getting better.) Went out yesterday on some wide straight miles of country road with huge clean shoulders - figuring I could work on climbing skills and relaxed descents without having worries about corners or traffic. But I had the oddest sensation of needing to turn slight left to stay straight. Haven't noticed it on that road before. When I passed hubby, he stopped me - he noticed my back wheel had a mean shimmy - and when we checked, it was really hanging up on the brake, too. I sent Charles for the car. The last think I need is for the bike to wreck and me go down again. (Then I'll take up a safer sport like gator wrasslin'.)

Tomorrow the bike goes to a different shop - the LBS I've been going to has lost my confidence over a few issues...the guy is enthusiastic and supportive, but seems to be a bit of a cowboy, pistol waving encluded! He also set my hybrid seat a whopping 2 inches too low, and when he gave me a tire-changing lesson, I came home with a blown inner tube) Anyway, I guess that wheel might need replacing - whatever it takes to make my bike REALLY right.

Now to my main question...I'd swear that my front wheel is..twitchy. More sensitive than it used to be, a hair-trigger kind of feeling. I was able to drink & handle my water bottle pretty well before my crash, now I'm afraid to scratch my nose! At first I thought it must be my own tension, but now I'm beginning to wonder.I can't see any shimmy to the wheel.

Thanks for your help! LLB

ps - the front brake of my hybrid is squealing badly. A neighbor told me to oil it, and I said ok. He came running over to tell me he was only joking, he realized I was gonna do it!! How to quiet the brakes? I'm making dogs howl...