Feel free to flame away but I’ll start upfront by saying I should know more about bike maintenance but I don’t, I am the type of person who should never have a nice car because I will just back it into things and I am not looking to place any blame in this post, just asking for advice.
So here’s the story. I borrowed my future brother-in-laws HED wheels for my last race. He was very busy so instead of putting the wheels on and changing my brake pads like he normally does, he dropped them off with me, foolishly trusting me. I was having my bike tuned up before I flew with my bike for the race so I asked the bike shop to switch the brake pads for the HED wheels. When I picked the bike up I didn’t notice that they didn’t give me my training wheel’s brake pads back. So I failed to notice that they didn’t change the brake pads. Whether they forgot, whether they didn’t hear my request, I don’t know. I do know that if I knew more about bikes and wheels, well, this was probably something I should have noticed. So I raced on the wheels with the wrong brakes pads (and had a terrible race but I can’t blame the wheels or the brake pads). When I returned the wheels to my brother-in-law he asked which brake pads I used. Long story short is that apparently the back wheel is destroyed. I’ve sent him a check to buy a new wheel and I think he’s learned never to trust me with anything nice. Expensive lesson learned for both of us. It looks like I am now the proud owner of a destroyed HED Jet 9 C2. Can I do anything with this wheel? Is it structurally unsafe?
I’m no expert, but I can’t believe that 1 race worth of braking would “destroy” a wheel. How much were you riding that brake? Did you stud the pad with nails or glass?
If they have not changed the pads, they might not adjust them either so it might touch other than braking surface on the carbon rim.
My brake pads look clean now but the last portion of the RI course was pretty nasty so it’s possible something worked its way into my brake pad and then maybe worked its way out. At not point did I really ride the brake. No descents on the course.
apparently the back wheel is destroyed…
Can you elaborate? How is it destroyed? Is it in pieces? Marked? Scraped?
It is not in pieces. The rear wheel brake track is ruined due to several large gouges.
isn’t the Jet a clincher? why would you change pads?
If I knew the answer to that question I probably would have known enough not to destroy the wheel in the first place.
Wait, you don’t know whether the wheel is a clincher or a tubular?
Sorry, no, I do know they are tubulars, but I don’t know if that means I do or don’t need new brake pads.
Take a picture of the wheel and then the brake surface. We’ll be able to tell you all you need to know.
However, what you need to know may be that your brother-in-law ripped you off! Hope not though.
I’m sure the BIL isn’t ripping me off. He hasn’t asked for a dime but I feel terrible and am trying to pay him for the wheel (hopefully he’ll cash the check). He’s also taken the wheel to Get A Grip who confirmed it was destroyed.
my point is (was) that even for a tubular wheel, not changing brake pads to carbon will not destroy a wheel. Zipp will even tell you this about their tubular disks. You will have reduced stopping power, and the brakes may make a squealing noise when in use, but, especially after one race, you will not damage the wheel. You should ask the bike shop WHY the wheel is destroyed, or what could have caused it, not just whether it is destroyed
… It looks like I am now the proud owner of a destroyed HED Jet 9 C2. Can I do anything with this wheel? Is it structurally unsafe?
The Jet C2 series is clincher only, isnt it? (aluminum rim). Or do you mean Stinger series (all-carbon tubular)?
Yep, stinger series. All carbon. The really expensive one - as I’ve learned.
Don’t know why he wouldn’t trust you. He’s getting a brand new wheel out of it. Hell do you want to borrow mine? 
A couple hundred miles shouldn’t cause this problem.
I don’t switch my pads, even though I know better. No issues.
I’ll chime in and say the same thing. All it is, is reduced stopping power and the evaporation of YOUR brake pads.
Swimfan may have hit it on the head where the problem isn’t that they were the wrong pads, just misaligned.
Ruined might be kinda hefty. Consider sending them to HED? They are usually really good with this kind of thing.
I highly doubt the wheels are ruined. Post a pic. Something’s fishy here.
I never changed brake pads on my carbon rims, never even realigned the pads. never had a problem.
Destroyed may be a bit much unless they wore away the braketrack/or rim area, but I find that hard to believe.