Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have assumed. In my defense, why did you say "that's how it came..." if you cut the cables yourself? And just to make sure I'm not assuming again, if you built the bike up but didn't cut the cables yourself (i.e. you built it up out of a box like any other preassembled bike), my answer as to why cables sometimes come too long stands. I wasn't implying anything about a mechanic's competency or yours, just explaining why "the way it came" isn't necessarily the way it has to be.

But if you work in a shop, you might be well aware that bikes often come with cables that are way longer than they need to be. Since it usually doesn't affect performance (only aesthetics) the mechanic doesn't cut it, because his boss is watching the clock and not measuring the cable housing.

edit: spelling