I personally think that some of it is just becoming comfortable using STI levers and drop handlebars. Almost all of our new riders large and small are uncomfortable riding in the drops at first and many complain that they feel like they can't reach the brakes.

I'm small, only 5ft even, and I have small hands and feet. I have standard unaltered Shimano DA levers on my race bike, with non-ergo handlbars (I tried them once and did not like them). I've never felt that I have any problems braking or shifting. I've also been riding for over 20 years, long before anything was made for us smaller folks, so I've become comfortable in this. I have a set of Tiagra short reach levers on my cross bike, and to tell the truth I don't really feel the difference, maybe I can get a tiny bit more of my pinky around them, but I don't brake with my pinky.

I also know from long experience, how I like my handlebars positioned and where I like my levers mounted on the bars - I think that lever position can make a big difference in comfort. When I picked up one bike, the shop had the bars tilted quite far up, I think to give a more upright "comfort" position, and to put the hoods high and angled up. I've seen many bikes come set up this way and I thought it was awful. It was a chore to ride in the drops that way - felt like I was always sliding down. I like my bars and hoods pretty close to level.