If you're running the stock 42/18, there's your problem right there. That looks to be around 63 gear inches, a good road ratio is 70+ gear inches.
You seem obsessed with frames. You need to get over that and understand the performance difference for road frames is not going to be that different especially if you're just comparing the Wabi and the Tricross.
Change your gearing to an appropriate road gearing, get some thinner/lighter tires and try that first. Frames aren't going to make a difference if your sitting there spinning your brains out with 63 g.i.