properly prepared

I've been meaning to replace the transverse cables on sparebike's brakes for about two years but never quite got round to it until today, it being the last day I'll have the bike prior to lending it to someone else for a couple of weeks in order to a: prevent them being ripped off by bicycle-rental facilities and b: get the bike out of the way whilst further construction-type work is performed upon the house. The front one was getting a bit frayed and both were far shorter than they ought to be, but being cantilever brakes it took several miles of riding-braking-riding-braking-tweaking to get things to a state in which I'd be happy to received a loaned bike without taking it as an insult.