As far as speed is concerned, it depends on the VPN service, and where the server is that you are using. If your data is being bounced around the globe three times, it's bound to be slower than a straight connection, and if you're uploading/downloading a lot of data then that slowdown will show up.
If you're old enough to remember the various internet speeds you could get, downloading a single image might show up visually as the difference between loading a hefty webpage on 56k compared to 5MB broadband (that's just an approximate example, not a measured one). Multiply that up to 500 or 1,000 images, and the time taken would be considerable if you were in a hurry. Not necessarily unacceptable, but certainly slower.
As for security, people advise that you always use VPN. It adds additional encryption to protect your identity, even if your usenet service says it doesn't keep logs (I think they have to keep some, and they could be forced to hand them over if the Feds/police became involved). I guess it depends a lot on what you are up to - I would doubt that this group attracts much official interest.
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