+1 on bike co-ops and and +1 on repair books. If neither are available to you, look for places where cyclists gather near you and socialize with other cyclists - especially the ones with older, less conventional bikes. The world is full of people with bicycle obsession disorder (j/k) who love to talk about their bikes and bicycles in general. Not every cyclist's style of discussion or interest in bikes may suit you, but just try to enjoy what other people want to say about their bikes, and eventually you will find someone who wants to understand a bike problem you are having and you can work on it together.

-Will