diff --git a/docs/bitset.adoc b/docs/bitset.adoc
index d3ae08f..7a96248 100644
--- a/docs/bitset.adoc
+++ b/docs/bitset.adoc
@@ -55,16 +55,6 @@ Or by specifying which bits are set and using `stdx::place_bits`:
 auto bs = stdx::bitset<8>{stdx::place_bits, 2, 3}; // bits 2 and 3 set
 ----
 
-Or with a string_view (potentially by substring and with a known value for
-set bits):
-[source,cpp]
-----
-using namespace std::string_view_literals;
-auto bs1 = stdx::bitset<8>{"1100"sv};            // bits 2 and 3 set
-auto bs2 = stdx::bitset<8>{"1100"sv, 0, 2};      // bits 0 and 1 set
-auto bs3 = stdx::bitset<8>{"AABB"sv, 0, 2, 'A'}; // bits 0 and 1 set
-----
-
 To convert a bitset back to an integral type, `to<T>` is available where `T` is
 an unsigned integral type large enough to fit all the bits. And `to_natural`
 produces the smallest such unsigned integral type.
diff --git a/docs/header_graph.mmd b/docs/header_graph.mmd
index c38efc0..60a2598 100644
--- a/docs/header_graph.mmd
+++ b/docs/header_graph.mmd
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ flowchart BT
   byterator --> bit
   cx_set ---> cx_map
   bitset --> bit
-  bitset --> ct_string
   panic --> ct_string
   env --> ct_string
   tuple_algorithms --> tuple
diff --git a/include/stdx/bitset.hpp b/include/stdx/bitset.hpp
index 0fc78c0..1f780e2 100644
--- a/include/stdx/bitset.hpp
+++ b/include/stdx/bitset.hpp
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include <stdx/bit.hpp>
 #include <stdx/compiler.hpp>
 #include <stdx/concepts.hpp>
-#include <stdx/ct_string.hpp>
 #include <stdx/detail/bitset_common.hpp>
 #include <stdx/type_traits.hpp>
 #include <stdx/udls.hpp>
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <limits>
-#include <string_view>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 
@@ -58,6 +56,17 @@ namespace detail {
 template <typename T>
 concept bit_spec = std::same_as<T, set_bit> or std::same_as<T, unset_bit> or
                    std::same_as<T, bit>;
+
+template <typename T> consteval auto bitset_size(T t) {
+    if constexpr (std::integral<T>) {
+        return static_cast<std::size_t>(t);
+    } else if constexpr (std::is_enum_v<T>) {
+        return t;
+    } else {
+        static_assert(
+            always_false_v<T>,
+            "bitset must be instantiated with an integral or an enum argument");
+    }
 }
 
 template <auto Size,
@@ -145,13 +154,6 @@ class bitset {
         return not std::is_enum_v<T> or std::is_same_v<T, decltype(Size)>;
     }
 
-    template <detail::bit_spec Spec, typename F, auto M, typename... S>
-    friend constexpr auto for_each(F &&f, bitset<M, S> const &...bs) -> F;
-
-    template <typename T, typename F, typename R, auto M, typename... S>
-    friend constexpr auto transform_reduce(F &&f, R &&r, T init,
-                                           bitset<M, S> const &...bs) -> T;
-
   public:
     constexpr bitset() = default;
     constexpr explicit bitset(std::uint64_t value) {
@@ -184,21 +186,6 @@ class bitset {
         }
     }
 
-    constexpr explicit bitset(std::string_view str, std::size_t pos = 0,
-                              std::size_t n = std::string_view::npos,
-                              char one = '1') {
-        auto const len = std::min(n, str.size() - pos);
-        auto i = std::size_t{};
-        auto const s = str.substr(pos, std::min(len, N));
-        // NOLINTNEXTLINE(modernize-loop-convert)
-        for (auto it = std::rbegin(s); it != std::rend(s); ++it) {
-            set(i++, *it == one);
-        }
-    }
-
-    constexpr explicit bitset(ct_string<N + 1> s)
-        : bitset{static_cast<std::string_view>(s)} {}
-
     template <typename T> [[nodiscard]] constexpr auto to() const -> T {
         if constexpr (N == 0) {
             return {};
@@ -495,9 +482,14 @@ class bitset {
         return init;
     }
 };
+} // namespace detail
+
+template <auto Size,
+          typename StorageElem = decltype(smallest_uint<to_underlying(Size)>())>
+using bitset = detail::bitset<detail::bitset_size(Size), StorageElem>;
 
 template <detail::bit_spec Spec = set_bit, typename F, auto M, typename... S>
-constexpr auto for_each(F &&f, bitset<M, S> const &...bs) -> F {
+constexpr auto for_each(F &&f, detail::bitset<M, S> const &...bs) -> F {
     if constexpr (sizeof...(bs) == 1) {
         return (bs.template for_each<Spec>(std::forward<F>(f)), ...);
     } else {
@@ -508,7 +500,8 @@ constexpr auto for_each(F &&f, bitset<M, S> const &...bs) -> F {
 
 template <typename T, typename F, typename R, auto M, typename... S>
 [[nodiscard]] constexpr auto transform_reduce(F &&f, R &&r, T init,
-                                              bitset<M, S> const &...bs) -> T {
+                                              detail::bitset<M, S> const &...bs)
+    -> T {
     if constexpr (sizeof...(bs) == 1) {
         return (bs.transform_reduce(std::forward<F>(f), std::forward<R>(r),
                                     std::move(init)),
@@ -519,9 +512,10 @@ template <typename T, typename F, typename R, auto M, typename... S>
     }
 }
 
-template <std::size_t N> bitset(ct_string<N>) -> bitset<N - 1>;
-
 namespace detail {
+using ::stdx::for_each;
+using ::stdx::transform_reduce;
+
 template <typename...> constexpr std::size_t index_of = 0;
 
 template <typename T, typename... Us>
diff --git a/test/bitset.cpp b/test/bitset.cpp
index 86175d0..9864606 100644
--- a/test/bitset.cpp
+++ b/test/bitset.cpp
@@ -132,20 +132,6 @@ TEMPLATE_TEST_CASE("construct with values for bits", "[bitset]", std::uint8_t,
     STATIC_REQUIRE(bs[5]);
 }
 
-TEMPLATE_TEST_CASE("construct with a string_view", "[bitset]", std::uint8_t,
-                   std::uint16_t, std::uint32_t, std::uint64_t) {
-    using namespace std::string_view_literals;
-    STATIC_REQUIRE(stdx::bitset<4, TestType>{"1010"sv} ==
-                   stdx::bitset<4, TestType>{0b1010ul});
-}
-
-TEMPLATE_TEST_CASE("construct with a substring", "[bitset]", std::uint8_t,
-                   std::uint16_t, std::uint32_t, std::uint64_t) {
-    using namespace std::string_view_literals;
-    STATIC_REQUIRE(stdx::bitset<4, TestType>{"XOXOXO"sv, 2, 4, 'X'} ==
-                   stdx::bitset<4, TestType>{0b1010ul});
-}
-
 TEMPLATE_TEST_CASE("convert to unsigned integral type (same underlying type)",
                    "[bitset]", std::uint8_t, std::uint16_t, std::uint32_t,
                    std::uint64_t) {
@@ -563,14 +549,6 @@ TEST_CASE("use bitset with enum struct (lowest_unset)", "[bitset]") {
     CHECK(bs.lowest_unset() == Bits::ONE);
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("construct with a ct_string", "[bitset]") {
-    using namespace stdx::literals;
-    STATIC_REQUIRE(stdx::bitset{"1010"_cts} ==
-                   stdx::bitset<4ul, std::uint8_t>{0b1010ul});
-    STATIC_REQUIRE(stdx::bitset{"101010101"_cts} ==
-                   stdx::bitset<9ul, std::uint16_t>{0b101010101ul});
-}
-
 TEST_CASE("zero size bitset", "[bitset]") {
     constexpr auto bs1 = stdx::bitset<0>{};
     STATIC_REQUIRE(bs1.count() == 0u);
@@ -590,3 +568,10 @@ TEST_CASE("zero size bitset", "[bitset]") {
     bs3 = stdx::bitset<0>{stdx::all_bits};
     CHECK(bs3.to<std::uint8_t>() == 0);
 }
+
+TEST_CASE("fix type of bitset argument to std::size_t", "[bitset]") {
+    using A = stdx::bitset<16>;
+    using B = stdx::bitset<16u>;
+    STATIC_CHECK(std::same_as<A, B>);
+    STATIC_CHECK(std::same_as<A, stdx::bitset<std::size_t{16}>>);
+}