when I looked at the specs of this bike, it seems that it has hydraulic brakes.
Also, it appears that the loop of brake lines on this bike could easily be pushed forward of the fork. In the photo we see the big loop of the front brake behind the bars, but hopefully it can be pushed out of the way so the loop is in front, out of the way of your knees
. There is a curious "junction" in the housings, I'm not familiar with hydro brakes but didnt think that they have this--but this bike certainly has some sort of junction joining up thing in the brake line-two clearly seen things that look like barrel adjusters on a cable shifting housing.
if they are hydro brakes, then changing cable length would cost more to do at a shop wouldn't it? (again, no experience working oh hydros)
They are trp hyrd brakes- so cable actuated hydraulic calipers. The hydraulic fluid is contained within the caliper itself and it uses traditional brake cables to compress the fluid which engages the pistons.
I saw the junction too, I'm guessing that is a brake housing split which allows you to adjust the cable tension. Some STI shifters used to have them for shift cables up near the lever. Thars me best guess at least.
Anyways, it's pretty simple to adjust the cable length for these brakes since it is just a traditional cable and housing cut. But a shop could obviously do it too.
I just mentioned taking it to a other shop since the OP's REI store is who set the bike up, looked at the absurd cable length and routing, and tjiught 'nailed it'.