Yesterday I picked up a rim brake wheelset I found on Craigslist. Carbon fiber Bontrager Aeolus wheels. I did take a look at them but obviously not closely enough. I did notice a couple of very small areas where the wear had gotten down to the mat, but I mean these were pencil thin and only about an inch long, like maybe a piece of debris had gotten in the pad and gouged the surface. I paid the guy and went on my merry way.

I mounted them up today and got to looking a little closer and turns out I totally missed a spot on the front wheel that pretty much makes the wheel garbage. There's a spot that goes the full width of the brake track and about 1-2 inches long where it's all the way down to the mat. I don't know how I didn't see it when I looked them over the first time, but I completely missed it.

I suspect the guy probably used regular pads rather than the carbon specific pads. I don't know if he knew the wheel was junk or not. But now I'm out a few hundred dollars and my research so far tells me rim brake carbon wheels cannot be resurfaced. So disappointed in myself. I think I just got in a hurry and didn't pay attention. Expensive mistake.