Long thigh bones mean the saddle will need to be further back and the seat angle shallow. Women also tend to have a shorter reach and weaker upper body than men of a similar height. As women are naturally more flexible a greater seat to bar height difference can usually be accommodated. Too many women are wrongly advised, purchase too larger frame and compensate by pushing their saddle forward and using a short stem. Thus the handling of the bike and the potential power output are impaired.
Women also tend to have smaller feet than men.
Very little work has been published on the role of foot size in cycling but it certainly has an effect on rider position. Similarly, cra0nk length may need to be adjusted with smaller women , with petite feet, possibly benefiting from 165mm, as opposed to the standard 170cm, cranks. Thus the rider with larger feet has a greater mechanical advantage over the small footer rider. Due to this mechanical disadvantage the fore and aft positioning of the saddle is even more critical. Similarly, a smooth pedalling action with minimum resistance applied to the up-pedal stroke is required.