General Cycling Discussion - What's easier on the knees - saddle nose behind or in front of center of cranks?

I have a new road bike, and although the seat height and the measurement from saddle nose to bar tops is the same as my race bike fit, my saddle nose on the new bike winds up a couple cm further behind the crank center than on the old bike. I guess there is a shallower seat tube angle on new bike.

Is this harder, or easier on the knees, to sit further behind the crank center?

I've been commuting alot this year, and have had some trouble with knee pain over the patella (both bikes).
It started on the old road bike, which had the nose only 3.5mm behind crank center.
The new bike sits a few cm behind, it looks like.

http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

Saddle nose ahead of the BB? a unicycle?

In recovering from chondromalacia, my PT told me to not allow my knee to be forward of the ball of my foot when applying downward force. That is determined by the saddle forward/back position along with the saddle height, and cleat adjustment.

'Knee-bone connected to the hip bone', .. saddle setback is largely about femur length..

knees can be sensitive to different things
try moving your saddle back 1mm and riding for week, then repeat if needed.

In recovering from chondromalacia, my PT told me to not allow my knee to be forward of the ball of my foot when applying downward force. That is determined by the saddle forward/back position along with the saddle height, and cleat adjustment.

Thanks for that info.

You should make sure your knees don't go in towards each other while you ride (and walk). Looks like a Y when seen from behind. Weakest part of the knee is the inside, so if you let your legs move like this it's going to end up hurting pretty bad. Not the same as what you're asking but relevant, I notice it all the time.

Maybe the saddle is shorter.

Center the saddle over the bottom bracket spindle. Was the common bike catalog pic. I'd adjust it from there.