I’ve been thinking about this. On my 1x MTB I don’t have any trouble with my laces. The cuff doesn’t drag much either, folding it up an inch is sufficient. The ring is smaller and the chain line is further in, and there’s no exposed teeth, no FD to get caught in. This was not anything I expected and it’s nice.

It still gets dirty from the dust thrown up by the front wheel, more so because it’s a MTB with knobby tires on dirt. So some kind of cover would still help.