tds101, a Swift can handle moderate offroad stuff. It won't be as stable, fast or comfortable as a bigger-wheeled bike in the rough stuff, but it can certainly take on occasional dirt and bumpy terrain. Portland has a lot of unpaved streets, and I often find myself riding on 2-3 block long stretches of gravel or extremely potholed pavement as I cut through neighborhoods to put together a safe route. The Swift handles this stuff just fine, although it is certainly a rougher ride than my big-wheeled bikes and I do have slow down quite a bit more to turn confidently on loose surfaces.