Sprint HTC Hero :: Custom ROMs - Standard Dialer And Contacts Lag

I'm running basic Sprint 2.1 rooted. I've removed all the bloatware, and wireless tether is working great. Pretty much everything is working great, actually, aside from the standard dialer and contact lag many people have reported, plus occasional lag in other areas.

So here's my question: Is there a custom ROM out there that solves the lagginess problem while leaving everything else basically functional and intact? I've been reading the threads around all the various ROMs, and while it seems that some offer real advantages in various areas, it also appears that each introduces its own new set of problems and dysfunctions. While I'd love a snappier phone, I don't want a bunch of new bugs, worse battery life, whatever. I mean, based on the threads here, the average custom ROM user's experience would seem to be slightly worse than my experience with the standard Sprint release.