Rigid soles are nice on longer rides -- they help prevent hot spots by spreading out the contact area. To keep your laces from getting caught in the drivetrain, there are a couple things you can do. The most basic is to double-knot them and then tuck the ends into your shoes (some SPD shoes like my Giro Rumbles have an extra loop on the tongue for this). Another thing is to lace your right shoe so that the knot is to the outside. Welcome to BF.

Ian's Shoelace Site - Introduction